Objective
Bio-based agricultural production has increased in recent years and, partly in consequence, parasitic infections in free-range poultry have also increased. Ascaridiosis is one of the most widespread nematode infections of chickens and has economic impact on meat and egg production.
Intensive chemoprophylaxis is no longer efficient due to the high level of chemical residues in the food products and the rapid development of drug resistant parasites. New treatments against ascaridiosis and other nematode gastrointestinal infections are therefore necessary. Parasitic worms exhibit restricted lipid metabolism and are not able to synthesize long chain fatty acids themselves. The import of these metabolites from the host organism is critical for parasite survival and, consequently the lipid transporters are possible drug targets.
Nematodes contain two new classes of small lipid binding proteins (LBP), that are structurally different from their functional analogues in vertebrates and structural information, either global or on the active site(s), is unavailable. In Ascaridia galli two LBP are found: Ag-NPA-1 and novel 55 kDa protein, Ag-lbp55. The objective of the proposal is to obtain detailed structural and functional information about these proteins and their importance for parasite survival.
This will be done by studying the binding affinities of specific ligands for Ag-lbp55. Structural information on Ag-NPA-1 and Ag-lbp55 in the presence or absence of ligand will be obtained, either using crystallography, small-angle X-ray scattering, or NMR, thus identifying the active sites and generating an understanding of the relationship between the two lipid binding proteins.
The information obtained will be further verified for different helminths as well as the free-living nematode C. elegans. The outcome will be information on the lipid transport mechanism in nematodes and its role in parasite-host interactions.
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 earth and related environmental sciences geology mineralogy crystallography
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics mathematical analysis functional analysis
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine gastroenterology
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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-5
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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.
Coordinator
HEIDELBERG
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.