Objective
The plant plasma membrane is a dynamic hub for nutrient uptake, pathogen detection, and stress signalling, anchored by surface receptors. In animals, proteolytic cleavage of membrane proteins is a major regulatory mechanism in immunity, but its role in plants remains largely unexplored. FRONTERA tackles this critical gap by asking: How does proteolytic regulation control plant plasma-membrane receptor function and plant immune responses?
We will combine chemoproteomics, cell biology, protease biochemistry, and genetics to investigate both sides of the process, the proteases that execute cleavage and the substrates they target, with emphasis on immune receptors. Beyond individual cases, FRONTERA will deliver the first platform to map and functionally analyse membrane-protein processing in plants, establishing plasma membrane proteolysis as a fundamental regulatory layer of plant physiology.
Within FRONTERA, we will pursue the following objectives:
O1 – Protease landscape: Define the composition and activity of plasma‑membrane–associated proteases at rest and during immunity.
O2 – Cleavage landscape: Map N‑termini/cleavage sites and dynamics of membrane protein processing during defence, focusing on immune receptors.
O3 – Function: Establish causality for selected protease–receptor pairs and quantify effects on immune outputs.
By integrating method development with mechanistic insight, FRONTERA will advance plant biology and open new strategies for crop resilience and sustainable agriculture.
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.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture sustainable agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
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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.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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-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.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-STG
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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.
06120 Halle
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.