Project description
The epigenetic conflict between plants and pathogens
Plant-pathogen interactions involve complex changes in both the host and pathogen. Recent findings suggest that epigenetics plays a role in plant defence, particularly through RePat genes, which are activated during infection. The ERC-funded EPIPAT project aims to track changes in epigenetic marks during infections and investigate how RePat genes are activated and their role in regulating the epigenome. This study will explore the epigenetic conflict between plants and pathogens and enhance our understanding of how epigenetic changes contribute to plant defence. The activation of reproduction-specific epigenetic factors during infections suggests similar nuclear reprogramming processes may be involved. Studying their roles in both contexts will help establish evolutionary links between reproduction and defence.
Objective
Plant-pathogen interactions are complex processes involving molecular and physiological changes in both the host and the pathogen. An increasing number of reports are pointing towards the role of epigenetics in plant defense against pathogens. However, several gaps currently prevent us from fully understanding the extent of chromatin changes as well as their functions during infection. We recently showed that a bacterial virulence factor induces global changes in DNA methylation. My research group also discovered that genes encoding epigenetic factors typically expressed solely during the reproductive phase of the plant life cycle are induced by pathogen infection (abbreviated “RePat” genes). Surprisingly, mutations affecting RePat genes reduce infection suggesting that RePat genes enhance susceptibility to the pathogens. Here, I hypothesize that pathogens hijack the expression of RePat genes to counter-act the innate plant epigenetic defense. In EPIPAT, I will determine the precise spatial and temporal changes in epigenetic marks during infection. We will investigate how RePat genes are induced during infection as well as characterize their function in regulating the epigenome during infection. In EPIPAT, I aim to shed light on a neglected battlefield of host/pathogen interactions, the epigenetic arms race between plants and pathogens. EPIPAT will generate essential data and insights that will open the field's understanding of how epigenetic changes contribute to the plant's defense. The induction of reproduction-specific epigenetic factors during infection suggests that similar nuclear reprogramming mechanisms might be at play in both situations. Exploring their role during infection is bound to provide invaluable insights into their role during reproduction and help us establish evolutionary parallels between reproduction and defense.
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 genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics epigenetics epigenomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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) ERC-2024-COG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
75794 PARIS
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.