Objective
Alkaloids form an important class of plant compounds with many pharmaceutically active compounds. The plant species Catharanthus roseus produces among other pharmaceuticals the widely used anti-cancer compounds vincristine and vinblastine. Alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus is stimulated by the plant stress hormone jasmonic acid and related signalling compounds, collectively known as JAs. JAs activate the expression of alkaloid biosynthesis genes via a jasmonate- and elicitor-responsive element (JE RE) in their promoters.
This JERE interacts with two members of the AP2-domain transcription factor family called ORCA2 and ORCA3. ORCA3 has been shown to regulate multiple genes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis, and its over-expression in Catharanthus cells leads under certain feeding conditions to a significant increase in alkaloid levels. The ORCA genes are themselves induced by JAs. Analysis of the ORCA3 promoter has revealed a novel JA-responsive element, indicating that JA-responsive ORCA gene expression is mediated by an unidentified upstream transcription factor. The latter protein can be considered a true master regulator of alkaloid metabolism, since it probably regulates both ORCA genes and thereby multiple alkaloid biosynthesis genes.
This proposal aims at the isolation of this upstream transcription factor. The proposal is to run protein extracts from C. roseus cell suspensions over DNA affinity purification columns containing the JERE from the ORCA3 promoter. Isolated proteins will be sequenced, and the corresponding DNA sequences will be isolated via RT-PCR. This upstream transcription factor has enormous potential as a tool to engineer alkaloid production in plant cells, and thereby increase the production of important pharmaceuticals. Technically it uses DNA affinity chromatography, highly uncommon in the plant field, with new improvements, combined with state of the art protein sequencing techniques.
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.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
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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.
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.
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.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-7
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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.
IIF - Marie Curie actions-Incoming International Fellowships
Coordinator
Netherlands
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.