Project description
Insight into plasmid genome evolution
Plasmids are autonomous, self-replicating genetic elements encountered in prokaryotic cells. They can be transferred between bacterial populations, driving microbial evolution and offering acquired properties such as antibiotics resistance. Moreover, they have been used as tools for genetic engineering in biotechnology, agriculture and basic research. Funded by the European Research Council, the pMolEvol project is set to study plasmid genome evolution. Researchers will investigate the natural selection of plasmid genetic diversity and evaluate how plasmid fitness affects plasmid genome evolution. The pMolEvol project is expected to uncover principles that govern the evolution of genetic elements, extending the classic population genetics theory to bacteria.
Objective
Plasmids are autonomously replicating extra-chromosomal elements that play a major role in prokaryote ecology and evolution. The study of plasmid evolution has so far focused mostly on their biodiversity and effect on their host ecology and evolution. Nonetheless, the fundamentals of plasmid genome evolution remain to a large extent uncharted territory. Plasmids reside within a host cell that supplies their environmental, energetic and metabolic requirements. Consequently, natural selection operates on plasmids in two hierarchical levels: one component is the plasmid replication and inheritance within the host cell, and the other is the host fitness within the population. Studying the determinants of plasmid evolutionary success thus requires the expansion of classic population genetics theory to populations of plasmids within bacterial cells. The overarching aim of pMolEvol is to create a novel unified framework for plasmid molecular and genome evolution. This includes: 1) to quantify the effect of multilevel drift and selection on plasmid genetic diversity, 2) supply a framework for quantification of plasmid fitness and its effect on plasmid evolution, 3) characterize patterns and rate of plasmid genome evolution. Our conceptual framework will be based on empirical data from plasmid evolution experiments and reconstruction of past events from genomic information. The conceptually novel measures and approaches developed in pMolEvol open up avenues for the extension of classic population genetic theory to prokaryotic organisms. Across all domains of life, genetic information is stored, replicated and translated by similar mechanisms. Focusing on plasmids, we aim to uncover the general principles that govern the evolution of autonomously replicating genetic elements. Our ultimate goal is to describe plasmid evolution from emergence to extinction.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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)
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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
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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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-COG
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24118 Kiel
Germany
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