Project description
Protein homeostasis for improved crop resilience
Increasingly frequent climate and environmental disruptions are putting a strain on global food supply. Protein homeostasis is a delicate process that maintains balance in protein synthesis, folding, trafficking and degradation. Its disruption is linked to several diseases in metazoan species, but it’s even more critical in plants. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HAPPY-QC project will explore the evolutionarily conserved CHIP-Bag1-Hsp70 system (CHIP). This quality control mechanism for chloroplast protein import and the clearing of unimported or misfiled precursor proteins is an important part of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), which remains poorly understood. HAPPY-QC will lay the foundation for a better understanding of the UPS and enhance crop resilience.
Objective
Protein homeostasis is a delicate process which keeps the synthesis, folding, trafficking and degradation of proteins in balance. Its
disruption is linked to various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and ageing in metazoan species. In plants,
protein homeostasis is critical for survival under environmental stresses like extreme temperatures, drought, and pathogen infections.
As the global population nears 8 billion, ensuring an adequate food supply is paramount, especially while coping with the adverse
effects of climate change. Chloroplasts (plastids), crucial organelles in plant cells, are responsible for producing most of the world's
food, and require the import of over 3000 different proteins for their proper function.
My research objective is to investigate the evolutionarily conserved CHIP-Bag1-Hsp70 system (CHIP), a vital quality control
mechanism for chloroplast protein import and clearing of unimported and misfolded precursor proteins. CHIP is part of the larger
Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS). Despite its significance, CHIP's interactions and substrates in plants are poorly understood. The
goal of my research is to (1) identify CHIP interactors and substrates in plants, using techniques like affinity purification, proximity
labeling, and proteomics; (2) study the structural organization of these complexes and their interactions with substrates through
structural mass spectrometry; and (3) determine how these complexes interact with the proteasome using cryo-electron microscopy.
This research sheds light on an inadequately understood system crucial for chloroplast regulation and various biological processes. It
also lays the foundation for studying the UPS in important plant models. Ultimately, this work indirectly contributes to enhancing
crop resilience against diseases and heat stress, which is increasingly relevant in the context of global warming.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
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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)
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Topic(s)
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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.
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-2024-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.
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
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.