Project description
Bacterial defence and plasmid evolution
Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules found in bacteria and often carry antibiotic resistance genes. Understanding how plasmids move between bacteria is therefore critical for tackling antimicrobial resistance. Bacteria possess a wide range of natural defence systems that block invading viruses and, in some cases, incoming plasmids. However, the large number and diversity of such systems impede their experimental testing. The ERC-funded PLEIADES project aims to explore how bacterial defence mechanisms influence plasmid evolution. By combining computational analysis and evolutionary theory, the project will investigate how defence systems impact plasmid diversity, genetic content and competition within microbial communities.
Objective
Plasmids are self-copying genetic elements that can move between bacterial species. They frequently carry antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, making understanding the factors that affect their spread through bacterial communities an urgent challenge. Exploiting bacteria’s natural defence systems to block plasmid spread is an exciting possibility. Recent years have seen a huge increase in the known number of ‘anti-phage’ systems that stop bacterial viruses (phage) from gaining a foothold in the cell. Some of these systems also defend against incoming plasmids, but the pace of discovery has outstripped the ability to experimentally test all relationships. We need computational approaches: by developing new methods, PLEIADES will bridge the gap and give us new insights into plasmid evolution.
The central hypothesis of PLEIADES is that selective pressure from ‘anti-phage’ defence systems also shapes the genomic architecture of plasmids. To better understand plasmid evolution we need to explore how variation in plasmid content and structure is linked to defence systems. We will tackle three objectives. First, we will build statistical models that relate the diversity of defence systems and plasmids across bacteria, controlling for other factors to deliver a systematic understanding of their relationship. Second, we will investigate the modular evolution of plasmids, which evolve by frequent rearrangements, using new computational frameworks that capture this plasticity together with tools to predict functions for plasmid proteins (the majority of which are currently unknown). Third, we will explore the role of defence systems in plasmid competition, investigating diverse plasmids from metagenomes to build a data-driven theory of their coevolutionary dynamics.
By combining cutting-edge computational analysis with evolutionary theory, PLEIADES will advance our understanding of plasmid evolution, paving the way for new experimental efforts to address the threat of AMR.
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 virology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
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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)
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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-2025-STG
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BS8 1QU BRISTOL
United Kingdom
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