Objective
Members of the Apicomplexa phylum are obligatory intracellular parasites many of which being important human pathogens. Plasmodium sp., the etiological agent of malaria is the most devastating but Toxoplasma gondii can be severe in both immune-compromised individuals where it causes encephalitis or pneumonia and infect fetuses. These parasites invade host cells by transforming into specialized stages called zoites and most of our current knowledge on the few second-lasting entry process comes from studies using Toxoplasma tachyzoites and Plasmodium sporozoites. Upon contact between the two cells, the close apposition between membranes forms a unique type of cell-cell junction which accompanies parasite active propelling into the host cell. The current dogma stipulates that the zoite driving force critically depends on its actomyosin motor while the host cell remains essentially passive. However, new evidence from Tardieux’ laboratory recently contradicts this view. Live video and confocal microscopy indicate that de novo actin polymerization is important for entry of P. berghei sporozoites and T. gondii tachyzoites to promote anchoring of the zoite-cell junction on which the parasite pulls to penetrate the host cell. In this proposal, using both Plasmodium and Toxoplasma zoites, we aim at dissecting the molecular mechanisms that control actin assembly/disassembly in the host cell during entry. To this end, we plan to identify (i) the up-stream host cell signalling factors leading to the host response (ii) the parasite proteins released into the host cell which potentially contribute to this response (iii) assess the function of these parasite factors during invasion. To address these points, live confocal imaging of invasion will be combined with in vitro biochemical actin assays and proteomic analysis. Our results will address a brand new issue on how parasites trigger signalling at the host cell membrane during invasion.
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 health sciences infectious diseases malaria
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine pneumology
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology cell signaling
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy confocal microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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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.
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG
See other projects for this call
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.
Coordinator
75654 PARIS
France
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.