Project description
Insight into the role of lipid droplets in plant virus infection
Plants cells store lipids in specialised structures known as lipid droplets (LDs), providing a source of energy and building blocks for membrane biogenesis and other cellular processes, including cellular metabolism. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the RAPT project aims to investigate the role of LDs in the replication of plant viruses such as turnip mosaic virus and barley yellow dwarf virus. Based on observations that virus-infected leaves contain more LDs, researchers will investigate whether the latter serve as energy sources for virus infection. The project will investigate how viruses interact with LDs, aiming to develop strategies for improved crop productivity.
Objective
The RAPT (lipid dRoplets And PhyTovirus infection) project undertakes an innovative exploration into the potential role of plant leaf lipid droplets (LDs) in the replication of plant viruses, specifically focusing on plant RNA viruses. Lipid droplets, which are ubiquitous organelles derived from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, play key roles in energy production, membrane biogenesis, and stress signalling. While certain animal RNA viruses utilize LDs for energy or as platforms for viral replication compartments (VRCs), evidence for similar mechanisms in plant RNA viruses remains elusive. The project builds on the previous observations made by the host lab, which suggest a higher abundance of LDs in turnip mosaic virus (TuMV, potyvirus) infected leaves and their spatial proximity to VRCs. The hypothesis is that certain plant viruses, like TuMV, utilize LDs as energy reservoirs for their genome replication, potentially facilitating direct interaction with VRCs. To validate and expand upon this hypothesis, the RAPT project is defined into three primary objectives:
1. Exploring the impact of plant virus infection on LD distribution and lipid metabolism
2. Functional validation of the involvement of plant LDs in the potyvirus infection cycle
3. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing the interactions between LDs and TuMV
These objectives address key knowledge gaps regarding the role of LDs in plant virus infection and will focus on potyviruses, mainly TuMV, but other (+) ssRNA virus species of agroeconomic importance such as luteoviruses and poleroviruses will also be studied, with the aim to expand the findings to crops. The results of this project will contribute to the development of broad-spectrum genetic resistances that can be harnessed by breeders to mitigate the adverse impacts of plant viral diseases on agricultural productivity.
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 validated by the project's team.
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 validated by the project's team.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture agronomy plant protection
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology cell signaling
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
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)
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-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.
75007 PARIS CEDEX 07
France
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.