Project description
Crossover regulation during cell division
During meiosis, homologous chromosomes inherited from each parent, exchange segments of their DNA through a process called crossing over. This mechanism is a key source of genetic variation because it produces chromosomes with novel DNA combinations that are different from both parents. Crossing over is finely balanced to ensure chromosome exchange and avoid genetic damage. Employing the roundworm C. elegans as a model organism, the ERC-funded COntrol project will study the regulatory pathways of crossover formation. Researchers will follow an interdisciplinary approach and validate project findings in zebrafish, revealing conserved mechanisms essential for reproduction and genetic integrity across species.
Objective
The formation of crossovers during meiotic cell divisions is a crucial process to produce sperm and egg cells. This mechanism not only secures proper chromosome segregation but also enhances genetic diversity, playing an essential role in sexual reproduction and evolutionary adaptation. Disruptions in the regulation of crossover events can have detrimental effects on individual organisms and entire species populations. Thus, crossover formation is tightly regulated by both positive and negative pathways. Crossover assurance guarantees that each pair of homologs undergoes at least one crossover, facilitating proper segregation. Simultaneously, crossover interference prevents individual crossovers from occurring too closely within the genome, minimizing the risk of damage. However, the molecular mechanisms of these key regulatory processes and the functional coupling between them are still not understood.
To dissect the regulatory mechanisms of crossover formation, we have achieved a groundbreaking visualization of this process in vivo, employing advanced imaging technology and AI-powered image analysis. Our approach includes real-time imaging and correlative super-resolution microscopy for temporal and structural analysis of key steps in crossover formation. In COntrol, I will now exploit these tools to acquire the quantitative data necessary to obtain a mechanistic understanding of crossover regulation. I will develop and rigorously test biophysical models through precisely targeted genetic perturbations, harnessing C. elegans' unique toolset of advanced real-time imaging and genetics. Furthermore, I will validate the uncovered mechanistic principles by examining their conservation in the vertebrate model system zebrafish.
COntrol will thus shed light on one of the most fundamental questions in biology, namely how organisms distribute and shuffle genetic information among their progeny while maintaining the genetic integrity of future generations.
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.
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials bioplastics polylactic acid
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy super resolution microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics chromosomes
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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.
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG
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69117 Heidelberg
Germany
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