Objective
The human gut microbiome profoundly influences health by aiding digestion, defending against pathogens, and producing essential metabolites. While large-scale initiatives have advanced our understanding of microbiome composition and diversity, we still lack fundamental insight into its functional diversity, as many gut species diverge significantly from established model organisms at the genetic and phenotypic levels. This gap limits our ability to design microbiome-targeted therapeutics.
Bacteroides, the most abundant genus in the human gut, plays a central role in degrading complex dietary sugars and is thus a prime candidate for therapeutic strategies. A key feature underlying its success in gut colonization and defining characteristic for this phylum is its outer membrane (OM), enriched in surface lipoproteins (twice as many genes compared to E. coli). Lipoproteins come in two flavours: outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and surface-exposed lipoproteins (SELs), which together form a structural scaffold for the OM, and are essential for nutrient acquisition and communication with the host. However, the molecular principles by which Bacteroides traffics and assembles these lipoproteins into a functional OM remain largely unexplored.
The Microbi-OM project intends to uncover the mechanisms of OM biogenesis in Bacteroides by dissecting the role of the translocation and assembly module (TAM) complex in lipoprotein surface exposure, (phospho)lipid transport, and coordination with other OM biogenesis pathways. Through high-throughput functional genomics, in situ cross-linking, and proteomics, this project will deliver unprecedented molecular insights into how key gut commensals build and maintain their OM. By expanding the toolkit for studying non-traditional model organisms, Microbi-OM will set the stage for rational microbiome engineering and the development of next-generation therapeutics.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
69117 Heidelberg
Germany
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.