Objective
Current theory asserts that eukaryotic evolution is almost exclusively mediated through vertical transmission, from parent to offspring, and relegates horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the movement of genes between individuals, to an extraordinarily rare event. In recent years, mounting evidence from high-quality genome sequencing has forced the field to consider that HGT is likely a persistent occurrence in eukaryotic evolution. However, as no active mechanism for HGT is known in eukaryotes, the evolutionary origin of these genes remains almost entirely a mystery. A potential vector of HGT in eukaryotes are transposable elements (TEs), parasitic genetic sequences that can replicate independently of their host genome. Recently, I discovered a novel group of TEs that are common in filamentous fungi, which I named Starships. These elements are massive, reaching sizes over 500 kb, and carry an extreme diversity of genetic “cargo”, some with adaptive functions such as plant pathogenicity. Furthermore, evidence suggests that many Starships have undergone HGT among a diverse set of lineages. Thus, I propose that the Starships represent the first known mechanism of active HGT among eukaryotes. I will examine this role by developing a tractable model system in which to observe HGT under laboratory conditions. This will be done by investigating the basic biology of Starship transposition in a model fungus with the use of transposon assays that we have recently developed and used to prove that the Staships are mobile. We will use this knowledge to design and create “donor” strains which we can pair with any recipient strain of fungus to monitor for HGT. Lastly, we will determine if fungi utilize the movement of the Starships to adapt to their environment by assaying the impact of a Starship on the fitness of a plant pathogenic fungus. This work will demonstrate that HGT is an active and ongoing process in eukaryotic evolution, dramatically reshaping our current views.
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 microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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)
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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-2023-COG
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751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
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