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Helico-Selective Membrane Transport

Objective

Membrane transport regulation is a sophisticated process only achieved by complex pore-forming membrane proteins. Controlling the transportation of bioactive molecules with high selectivity can pioneer a paradigm shift in the precision of membrane-related applications (e.g. drug and gene delivery, biosensing, signaling, metabolic activity manipulation, etc.).

Despite the research effort in membrane transport and significant advances in membrane pore engineering, a critical knowledge gap still hinders the development of pore technologies for high-selective membrane translocation processes. Inspired by the recognition mechanisms of transport-specialized membrane proteins, ChiroPore aims to fill this gap by using helical topologies as recognition patterns in nanopore-mediated membrane translocation for the first time.

Inspired by natural tagging recognition systems like nuclear nanopores, ChiroPore’s strategy consists of a two-component system in which matching helical topologies are used as recognition motifs, akin to bolt and nut complementarity. A variety of nuts (transmembrane peptide barrels) and bolts (helical peptides) designed with helical complementarities form the basis of a versatile multivalent key-lock system for tag-selective membrane trespassing of bioactive cargo.

I will synergistically combine the advantages of existing membrane nanopore engineering strategies into a novel peptide assembly technology to construct membrane pores with precise internal topology. I propose introducing a helical peptide nucleic acid (α-PNA) origami to synthesize membrane-spanning barrels capable of displaying an array of helical topologies.

Overall, ChiroPore technology proposes a tag-selective supramolecular membrane transport system that utilizes macromolecular chirality as a recognition motif. This system will contribute to progress toward high-precision delivery, sensing, and communication applications at the cellular level.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2025-COG

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Host institution

UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 1 999 625,00
Address
COLEXIO DE SAN XEROME PRAZA DO OBRADOIRO S/N
15782 SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Spain

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Region
Noroeste Galicia A Coruña
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 1 999 625,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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