Project description
Digging into ancient DNA for agricultural adaptation
Climate change poses a threat to agriculture, exacerbating challenges of food security and sustainability. As temperatures rise and droughts become more frequent, the resilience of crops is crucial. However, understanding how plant biodiversity and functionality respond to such changes remains a complex puzzle. In this context, the EU-funded TOLERATE project delves into the resilience of rhizosphere biodiversity. Using ancient DNA metagenomes from Arctic soils, the project investigates adaptations spanning a million years. These genetic blueprints will unravel molecular mechanisms crucial for climate tolerance. By engineering root-colonising bacteria, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas chlororaphis, the project aims to enhance plant resilience to temperature shifts and drought. TOLERATE’s findings promise innovative solutions for climate-resilient agriculture and industry.
Objective
Starting from a unique collection of paleo-environmental samples (frozen Arctic soils and sediments) already at AWI and their corresponding ancient DNA (aDNA) metagenomes that stretch back up to a million years, we will retrieve information on how rhizosphere biodiversity and functionality responded to climate changes and extreme events. Preliminary metagenomic data from the collection suggests it is a gold mine of archaic DNA that represents a timeline of adaptions to climate change in the rhizosphere. By reconstructing and analyzing these ancient metagenomes and correlating with available historical climatic change data, we will identify molecular adaptions that impart climate tolerance (specifically resistance to increased temperature and drought). This will be used to i) produce and test engineered root-colonizing bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas chlororaphis) that will improve climate tolerance of plants (production of humidifying polysaccharides around the root) facilitating the ability to grow on marginal agricultural land (MAL), ii) inform ancestral reconstruction of thermostable and/or cold tolerant enzymes for industrial application and iii) produce engineered Pseudomonas putida strains tailored for bioproduction. For the latter application, we will select genes that encode biomolecules relevant for climate-tolerant phenotypes (humidifying polysaccharides and the biosurfactant betaines). The production of these molecules using biotechnology will be targeted in the project and their application in selected industrial products verified. Target end-user applications will include polysaccharides and betaines for the development of 3D printed organ-on-chip and drug delivery systems as well as the formulation of metalworking fluids, lubricants and industrial cleaning products.
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.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering tribology lubrication
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- engineering and technology other engineering and technologies microtechnology organ on a chip
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
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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.2.6 - Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
MAIN PROGRAMME
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HORIZON.2.6.6 - Bio-based Innovation Systems in the EU Bioeconomy
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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-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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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) HORIZON-CL6-2022-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage
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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.
2800 KONGENS LYNGBY
Denmark
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.