Objective
Allostery is a fundamental concept Nature uses to regulate the affinity of a certain substrate to an active site of a protein by binding a ligand to a distant allosteric site. We will design experimental tools to gain an atomistic understanding of the conformational transitions that give rise to allostery. We will approach the problem from two distinctively different directions. First, we will initiate conformational transitions of proteins that per se are not photoswitchable, by cross-linking two sites of an allosteric protein with a photo-switchable azobenzene-moiety to initiate a conformational transition similar to ligand binding. We will use ultrafast infrared spectroscopy to time-resolve the conformational transition. Second, we will experimentally verify a frequently expressed hypothesis that allosteric and active site communicate by exchange of vibrational energy. To that end, we will design a versatile approach that allows us to locally deposit vibrational energy at essentially any site in a protein (e.g. through pumping of an optical chromophore that undergoes ultrafast internal conversion), and to detect its appearance at any other site by using vibrational transitions as local thermometers. Thereby, we will map out a network of connectivity in a given protein. Both approaches will applied both to one and the same protein family. One concrete example are PDZ domains, which are among the smallest allosteric proteins, and for which the connection between allostery and vibrational energy flow has been made explicit, based on computer simulations. We will eventually test this hypothesis experimentally, and provide the foundation for a description of allostery that is on an equal footing as our current understanding of protein folding.
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 physical sciences optics spectroscopy absorption spectroscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins protein folding
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
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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.
ERC-2009-AdG
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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.
Host institution
Zürich
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.