Project description
The complexities of bacterial symbiosis with fungi
The fungus Rhizopus microsporus relies entirely on its bacterial partner Mycetohabitans to reproduce. The bacteria are essential for spore formation and are carried inside each fungal spore. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HITCHHIKE project will investigate how this unusual partnership works at molecular level. The researchers will study how the bacteria are transported inside the fungus, how they trigger spore production and influence the fungus’ ability to cause disease. Understanding this unique relationship between bacteria and fungi may help improve the use of fungi in biotechnology as well as medicine and also lead to new strategies for managing fungal infections.
Objective
Interspecies interactions between fungi and bacteria are highly prevalent in nature and play critical roles in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine. Studying such bacterial-fungal interactions offers crucial insights into fungal pathogenesis that can be leveraged in understanding and treating serious fungal diseases. The Rhizopus-Mycetohabitans endosymbiosis offers a unique model to study how endosymbionts contribute to fungal pathogenicity. Notably, the fungal host's sporulation depends entirely on the bacterial endosymbionts, which are translocated into the spores. However, the molecular details of how R. microsporus mediates endosymbiont-dependent sporulation, and subsequent symbiosis maintenance, remain unknown. HITCHHIKE aims to close this knowledge gap by utilizing a combination of genetic, biochemical, and infection biology technologies. We will focus on elucidating: (i) the means of intra-hyphal transport of non-motile endosymbionts; (ii) the molecular mechanisms of endosymbiont-dependent sporulation; and (iii) how endosymbionts contribute to fungal pathogenicity. This will not only elucidate the nature of host control in this clinically relevant bacterial-fungal alliance but also has the potential to serve as a roadmap to understanding how prokaryotic pathogens and symbionts interact with more complex eukaryotic hosts. In addition, HITCHHIKE will provide a foundation to better understand how asexual sporulation is regulated in the greater Mucoromycota phylum. These ecologically diverse fungi are utilized in biotechnology and industry, with applications spanning from food production to drug development. Dr Richter, an expert in bacterial endosymbionts of fungi, will conduct HITCHHIKE under the supervision of Prof Victoriano Garre, a pioneer in the molecular biology of Mucoromycota. The MSCA fellowship will qualify her as a leading expert in fungal-bacterial-host interactions, thus laying the foundation for establishing her independent research group.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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30003 Murcia
Spain
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