Project description
Protein isoforms in bacteria
Bacteria – traditionally considered haploid – might possess two mRNA versions of the same gene, yielding diverse protein isoforms with altered activity. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) mRNA editing, discovered in Escherichia coli, alters protein function and is influenced by environmental cues during growth. Yet, the prevalence, regulation, and significance of this editing across bacteria remain unknown. Funded by the European Research Council, the REDBAC project proposes to explore the widespread mRNA editing in hundreds of species across diverse conditions, unveiling its genetic regulation and effects on the proteome. This research is expected to uncover a novel adaptation mechanism in bacteria which may impact human health beyond what current genetic and proteomic data reveal.
Objective
"Bacteria are haploid, having a single copy of each gene. We suggest a paradigm shift in bacterial genetics: bacteria can have two RNA versions of the same gene, encoding protein isoforms at the single-bacterium and population level. These protein isoforms can have altered activity, which could be advantageous under different conditions.
Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) mRNA editing can affect the sequence and the function of translated proteins because the ribosome identifies inosine as guanosine. We discovered that A-to-I mRNA editing occurs in bacteria (Escherichia coli), identified the mediating enzyme, and showed that it could affect protein function. Moreover, we discovered that environmental cues experienced during growth in culture affect bacterial mRNA editing. However, the prevalence and regulation of A-to-I mRNA editing across bacteria and the importance of editing for protein function and bacterial physiology in different environments are still unknown.
Here, we will test the hypothesis that mRNA editing is widespread in bacteria, producing two RNA ""alleles"" (pseudo-heterozygosity). Subsequently, these RNA ""alleles"" may co-exist in the same bacterial cell or population of cells. Thus, mRNA editing may enable the translation of protein isoforms, making bacteria better adapted to changing environments. We suggest (1) identifying mRNA editing events across environmental conditions in hundreds of species, (2) uncovering the regulatory genetic factors governing bacterial mRNA editing occurrence, and (3) determining the effect of mRNA editing on the proteome and its functional role in bacteria.
Our work could shed light on a new mechanism bacteria employ to grow and survive in different environments. Furthermore, bacterial mRNA editinginvisible to DNA sequencingmay account for unsolved problems or phenomena that current genetic and proteomic data cannot explain, affecting bacterial biology and human health."
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
84105 Beer Sheva
Israel
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.