Objective Successful and efficient plant breeding depends on rapid recombination of advantageous traits to form new crop varieties. In recent years new breeding techniques have been introduced which rely on transgenic alteration of somatic cells and regeneration into plants with novel properties. The precision and effectiveness of both strategies rely upon homologous recombination (HR). The objective of this proposal is to provide plant breeders with new tools allowing better control over HR in both somatic and meiotic cells. The expected outcomes of the proposed research are efficient gene targeting (GT) technologies for precise engineering of plant genomes and control of rates of meiotic recombination between homologous or homeologous chromosomes in classical breeding. The major components of the HR machinery are common to somatic and meiotic cells, enabling us to address both processes in a synergistic way. HR can be divided into different steps: initiation by formation of a DNA double-strand break (DSB); recognition and invasion of an homologous DNA sequence; resolution of recombination structures. Each stage contains a bottleneck for both GT and meiotic HR that we will address. Work package 1 (WP1) aims at enhancing HR through targeted DSB induction. DSBs will be induced by Zinc-finger nucleases that can be custom-designed for target sequences anywhere in the genome. In WP2, we will test the influence of HR factors affecting homologue invasion and heteroduplex formation, such as RAD51 and its paralogues, the RAD52 homologue, genes that affect cytosine methylation in DNA, and mismatch repair. In WP3 we will concentrate on proteins involved in resolution and crossing-over. WP4 will test combinations of those approaches found in the first three WPs to build optimal strategies for application. Most experiments will be performed in the model plant Arabidopsis and implemented into crops such as tomato and maize to guarantee quick applicability for breeding. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant breedingnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticshereditynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticschromosomesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomes Keywords Gene targeting double-strand break repair gene technology homologous recombination meiosis crossing over Programme(s) FP7-KBBE - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology Topic(s) KBBE-2008-1-1-01 - Development of new tools and processes based upon genomic resources to support R&D in crop plants for breeding Call for proposal FP7-KBBE-2008-2B See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE EU contribution € 451 460,00 Address KAISERSTRASSE 12 76131 Karlsruhe Germany See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Holger Puchta (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE Israel EU contribution € 405 220,00 Address HERZL STREET 234 7610001 Rehovot See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Talia Tzahor (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS France EU contribution € 404 169,00 Address RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 75794 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Sandrine Magnetto (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE Switzerland EU contribution € 396 708,00 Address RUE DU GENERAL DUFOUR 24 1211 Geneve See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Genève Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Jerzy Paszkowski (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN Netherlands EU contribution € 400 302,00 Address RAPENBURG 70 2311 EZ Leiden See on map Region West-Nederland Zuid-Holland Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Ton Brouwer (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data KEYGENE NV Netherlands EU contribution € 389 308,00 Address AGRO BUSINESS PARK 90 6700AE Wageningen See on map Region Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Michiel De Both (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data BIOGEMMA France EU contribution € 369 500,00 Address Rue E. Colonne 1 75001 PARIS See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Catherine Guichard (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data OSM-DAN LTD Israel EU contribution € 180 480,00 Address 19 PRO NEEMAN YUVAL ST 7608665 Rehovot See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Pnina Dan (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Total cost No data
