Objective
Bacteria have evolved multiple lines of defense against their viruses, bacteriophages. Such weapons include restriction modification and CRISPR systems that have greatly impacted biomedical research. Studies aimed at uncovering novel defense mechanisms describe an unsuspected diversity of anti-phage systems, spanning thousands of protein families. Several of these anti-phage systems, such as prokaryotic viperins, appear to be ancestors of major eukaryotic antiviral pathways. This striking conservation between eukaryotic and prokaryotic immunity leads me to two hypotheses on which the present proposal is based.
First, I postulate that the organisation of antiviral immunity in eukaryotes as an immune system, i.e. an integrated network of various antiviral mechanisms, might be conserved in prokaryotes. This implies that each anti-phage system does not act in isolation, but is rather part of a whole, the bacterial immune system. To explore this hypothesis, I will characterise the distribution of known anti-phage systems encoded in prokaryotic genomes. I will subsequently explore the potential synergies and co-regulation existing between these systems. I thereby aim to build an integrated map of bacteria antiviral immunity.
Second, I hypothesise that prokaryotes produce additional small anti-phage compounds, such as the viperin products, with a potential activity against eukaryotic viruses. To explore this idea, I will study the molecular mechanisms of the viperin family. I will then use genomics to predict novel chemical based anti-phage systems and follow up with their experimental characterizations. These projects could lead to the identification of novel antiviral molecules that could be further harnessed in the clinic.
Overall, I expect this proposal to generate new knowledge that will have the potential to radically change our view on the immune systems of prokaryotes and provide new therapeutic leads.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75724 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.