Project description
Untangling how individual fungi communicate in soil
Fungi may not have brains but they continuously sense, learn, and make decisions via a wide range of chemical signals. When it comes to multiple species of fungi coexisting in soils, single cell-scale communication occurs via secondary metabolites. This very rapid and localised communication has an important impact on biogeochemical cycles, but it is difficult to study. The ERC-funded INTERSPEC project aims to use surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microspectroscopy to identify and characterise the fungal secondary metabolites in microfluidics-based soil chips. These tools should enable untangling how the composition of the secondary metabolomes and their functions change under varying nutrient conditions. Finally, transcriptome analysis will shed light on related genes and other extracellular compounds, such as enzymes, involved.
Objective
Multiple species of fungi co-exist in soils and play an important role in biogeochemical cycles. To survive in a resource limited environment, they have developed the means for interspecific communication and warfare via an arsenal of secreted secondary metabolites. Specific ecological role of those metabolites and the extent to which they affect biogeochemical cycling during fungal interactions remains unknown. Because they are secreted and act at a single-cell scale, tracing them ‘then and there’ can aid in identifying potential triggers for their production and clarifying their function. Currently used methods have either insufficient resolution or are destructive, and are not suitable for such analyses. Here, I will use my expertise in spectroscopy techniques to (1) establish experimental protocols for the single-cell scale fungal secondary metabolite identification and characterization using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microspectroscopy - a method that employs optical properties of gold nanoparticles for molecule specific sensing and that has been shown in biomedical research to have an extraordinary potential for studying microbial metabolic processes. I will combine it with microfluidics based soil chips, that provide visual access to and mimic real ecosystems via control over biotic and abiotic environment of soil microbes. Ultimately, my aim is to offer the community of soil fungal ecologists with a game-changing new tool to study ecosystem functions of secondary metabolites in more realistic settings. I will then use the approach to (2) determine how interspecific fungal interactions under varying nutrient conditions affect the composition of their secondary metabolome and its functions live and at single-cell scale. Additional transcriptome analysis will (3) reveal fungal genes involved in up- or downregulation of the metabolite biosynthesis, but also extracellular enzyme production for organic matter degradation and nutrient acquisition.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geochemistry biogeochemistry
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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
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-2023-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.
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands
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.