Objective
"Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT) is the central enzyme in NAD biosynthetic pathways. Among the three known mammalian isozymes, nuclear NMNAT1 generates NAD which is used as substrate for the enzymes SIRT1 and PARP1, involved in transcription control and DNA damage repair and associated to cell death and senescence. Various data suggest that NMNAT1 could be neuroprotective: SIRT1 activation or overexpression confers neuroprotection in various models of neurodegenerative diseases; PARP1 mild activation is neuroprotective; finally, the overexpression of NAMPT, an enzyme producing an NMNAT substrate, also confers neuroprotection. However, NMNAT1 requirement for neuron maintenance has not yet been directly demonstrated. NMNAT2 instead, located prevalently in the cytoplasm in association with the Golgi apparatus, acts as a survival factor for axons and synapses, which degenerate when NMNAT2 is rapidly degraded after an injury. NMNAT enzyme activity is necessary for axon protection, but the mechanism involved is still unclear. These data led us to the hypothesis that NMNAT activity is required for the survival of distinct neuronal compartments and that the two isoforms NMNAT1 and NMNAT2 locally provide for this activity in the cell nucleus and in the axon, respectively. This project will combine the enzymology skills of the IEF applicant with the neurobiology and molecular genetics expertise of the host laboratory to test this hypothesis by generating a neuron-specific conditional knockout (KO) mouse for NMNAT1 using the Cre-loxP system and by studying the mechanism of NMNAT2-mediated neuroprotection in primary neurons. Our results will identify NMNAT enzymes as targets for pharmacological intervention in neurodegeneration. This study will be achieved by the mobility of the IEF fellow, who will acquire as a result a combination of disciplines and techniques key to his career development as an independent scientist."
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 neurobiology
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology molecular genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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-2011-IEF
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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
NG7 2RD Nottingham
United Kingdom
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.