Project description
Evolutionary impacts of hyperploidisation in transmissible cancers
Transmissible cancers are unique because they can spread between animal species through the direct transfer of cancerous cells and persist for centuries without sexual reproduction. These cancers maintain genetic diversity through hyperploidy. Observations in bivalves suggest that hyperploidy supports their long-term persistence and evolution. The ERC-funded HYPERCAN project will investigate the role of hyperploidy in clonal heterogeneity in transmissible cancers in mussels (MtrBTN). Specifically, it will explore the relationship between ploidy levels and fitness, the evolution of MtrBTN cancers, and the dynamics of hyperploid lineages. It will uncover the genetic mechanisms of long-lived cancers and assess the evolutionary impacts of hyperploidisation.
Objective
Transmissible cancers are fascinating recently discovered biological entities. They have acquired the ability to cross host boundaries and spread between animals, even sometimes interspecifically, by the direct transfer of cancerous cells. In addition, despite asexual reproduction they have been shown to persist for hundreds or thousands of years in host populations. Importantly, in the absence of known sexual-like reproduction mechanism, transmissible cancers must cope with clonal degeneration. One challenging question that arises is to understand the evolutionary processes and molecular mechanisms by which genetic diversity can maintain in such a long-term clonal context. Several transmissible cancer lineages have been described in Bivalvia and they have all in common hyperploidy. Some distinct sub-lineages (with a common founder host) coexist in host populations with specific degrees of hyperploidy (2 to 10 times the host cell DNA content). Hence, the hypothesis that hyperploidization concurs to the persistence and long-term evolution of these transmissible cancers must be considered. HYPERCAN aims to decipher the evolutionary significance of hyperploidy and of its variation to amplify clonal heterogeneity in mussel transmissible cancers (MtrBTN). We will use a multi-disciplinary approach combining phenotyping and “multi-omics” in order to test evolutionary hypotheses.
We will answer 3 main questions:
1. Ploidy and fitness. Does a correlation exist between ploidy degrees and fitness?
2. Evolutionary dynamics. How does evolution proceed in MtrBTN cancers?
3. Hyperploidization mechanisms. How is hyperploidy generated and what is the fate of newly evolved hyperploid lineages?
The project will have multiple outputs and applications among which to understand the genetic mechanisms driving the evolution of long-living cancers and to provide useful elements for the assessment of evolutionary and phenotypic effects associated with hyperploidization in cancers.
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 genetics DNA
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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)
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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.
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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-2023-STG
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75794 PARIS
France
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