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Why do transcription factors bind what they bind when they bind?

Project description

Deciphering transcription factor binding

Transcription factors are of clinical importance because their mutations are often associated with disease and they can be targets of treatment. Understanding why a transcription factor binds to a specific chromatin can lead to enhanced clinical prediction and targeted therapies. However, there is currently no means available to measure the biochemical kinetics of transcription factor binding events. The ERC-funded TF-KINETIX project aims to develop novel proteomics and genomics tools that will measure the regulation of transcription factor binding kinetics to the chromatinised genome. To do so, it will decipher interactome- and genome-wide binding kinetics of three transcription factors associated with lung cancer. It will also design predictive binding models to engineer cell-state-specific transcription factor binding profiles.

Objective

Transcription factor binding is orchestrated by a complex interplay between DNA sequence, chromatin composition, protein interactions, and transcription factor concentration. These regulatory features determine the binding kinetics: how long it takes for a certain amount of transcription factor to associate, and subsequently dissociate from specific binding sites. These kinetics are in turn determined by the thermodynamic properties of each interaction.

It is currently not possible to measure the biochemical kinetics of transcription factor binding across the chromatinized genome inside the nucleus of a cell. To understand why a transcription factor binds to a specific chromatin:DNA-sequence context in a specific cellular state at a specific time, we need to measure how chromatin and DNA influence the biochemical parameters that underpin transcription factor binding. This gap in knowledge limits our functional understanding of why a binding event occurs, and it hampers accurate predictions of transcription factor binding.

Here, I will establish a novel proteomics and genomics toolkit to decipher the regulation of transcription factor binding kinetics to the chromatinized genome. I will resolve interactome- and genome-wide binding kinetics of three lung-cancer-associated transcription factors. By delineating association and dissociation rates, and changes in disorder and binding energy, of all binding events across the genome, I aim to obtain a quantitative understanding of how the proteome composition, epigenetic landscape, and genetic code dictate transcription factor binding. Finally, I will build predictive binding models to engineer cell-state-specific transcription factor binding profiles.

Together, this will transform our knowledge about transcription factor binding into a functional understanding where instead of observing, we understand why each binding event occurs when it occurs, and how we can steer these events.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG

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Host institution

STICHTING HET NEDERLANDS KANKER INSTITUUT-ANTONI VAN LEEUWENHOEK ZIEKENHUIS
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 1 496 725,00
Total cost

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.

€ 1 496 725,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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