Project description
Aquaporins’ roles within stomata to develop stress-resilient crops
Stomata are openings on plant surfaces, formed in grasses by guard and subsidiary cells that allow gas exchange and transpiration. Their regulation involves the movement of water and solutes, facilitated by aquaporins (AQPs), though their precise functions in stomata remain poorly understood. Grass stomata are suitable for studying AQPs under abiotic stress, with maize serving as a key model due to its agronomic importance. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the StomAQP project will explore the roles of AQPs and their regulation within stomatal complexes to advance the development of stress-resilient crops. It will use transactivation assays, protoplast engineering, maize suspension cells and CRISPR/Cas technology. The findings could help transfer stress-resilience mechanisms from grasses to other major crops.
Objective
The stomata are openings formed on the epidermis formed by two guard cells (GC) surrounded by subsidiary cells (SC), allowing gaseous exchange for photosynthesis at the expense of water via transpiration. Stomata are tightly regulated by the influx and efflux of water and small solutes across GC or SC membranes. The diffusion of these solutes and water through the membranes can be facilitated by aquaporins (AQPs). While there is insufficient knowledge on the precise role of AQPs in stomata, specific microdissection of the mechanism of AQP action in GCs and SCs affecting stomata is further limited. The superiority of grass stomata owing to their quick response make them apt for studying the role of AQPs in stomatal response, especially under abiotic stress condition since climate change has made crops worldwide extremely vulnerable. In this regard, maize is an appropriate grass crop to use as a model because of its economic importance. The overall goal of this project is to study the role of different AQPs, and their transcriptional regulation in stomatal complexes, that can be used to produce stress-resilient crops. We will be using transactivation assays, protoplast engineering, maize suspension cells, and CRISPR/Cas to achieve the objectives. The mechanisms uncovered here can be monumental to extrapolate the grass stress resilience mechanisms into other vital crops. This project will help add the experience required for my goal of being an independent group leader. I will gain from the scientific environment and the infrastructure and support system at LIBST-UCLouvain as well as from the vast experience of Prof. Chaumont in research and project management. In turn, the host will benefit from the technical skills, and creativity that I can offer.
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 cell biology cell signaling
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- agricultural sciences agricultural biotechnology agricultural genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture industrial crops
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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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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.
1348 LOUVAIN LA NEUVE
Belgium
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.