Objective
The moon governs reproductive cycles in a broad range of marine animals, including cnidarians, polychaetes, crustaceans, echinoderms and fishes. Even outside the animals, lunar reproductive cycles have been described, such as in brown algae or foraminifers. Despite their fundamental nature, and decades of classical observations, close to nothing is known about the molecular processes that underly these lunar reproductive cycles.
We will take advantage of the recent advance in molecular resources and tools in the bristle worm Platynereis dumerilii, which has long served as a key model for classical experimental studies on lunar periodicity. The combination of modern techniques with well-founded classical observations will allow us to decipher, for the first time, the hormonal cues that are regulated by the lunar cycle and are responsible for the orchestration of gonadal maturation and trunk regeneration.
The project builds on established methodology, as well as on the first results of a successful pioneer screen and has three major aims:
(1) the functional investigation of two hormones we recently identified to be under lunar cycle control.
(2) the extension of our successful pioneer screen to understand to which extent other neurohormonal components change over the lunar phase.
(3) the identification of the elusive inhibitory brain hormone that directly acts on the gonads to inhibit premature maturation.
Together, these experiments will lead us to first significant insights into the molecular nature of the hormonal network that underlies moonlight-dependent periodicity and regeneration.
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 biological sciences microbiology phycology
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy planetary sciences natural satellites
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology invertebrate zoology
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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-2010-StG_20091118
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.
Host institution
1010 WIEN
Austria
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.