Objective
To detect foreign invaders and to communicate with other cells of the immune system, B lymphocytes carry a multitude of receptor proteins on their surface. In the past, it was thought that most of these receptors are randomly distributed on the cell surface and only become organized upon lymphocyte activation. Recent studies showed, however, that many of these surface proteins are pre-organized in nanoscale protein islands (here called nano-islands) with a size of 50-150 nanometer (nm). We have developed a Fab-proximity ligation assay (Fab-PLA) which allows us to study the organization of membrane proteins at 10-20 nm distances. With this method, we discovered that the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) of the classes IgM and IgD are located in different class-specific nano-islands.
Due to the technical limitations of classical biochemistry (detergent lysis), light microscopy (diffraction limit of 250 nm) and electron microscopy (fixation artifacts), the nanoscale organization of membrane proteins is not well studied. With the Fab-PLA method, we can, for the first time, explore this unknown 200-20 nm space and analyze the composition and stability of the different nano-islands on the B cell surface. We also will develop new methods such as proximity biotinylation and proximity proteomics to better study these nanostructures and learn more about their role in B lymphocyte activation and human diseases such as lymphomas and autoimmune diseases.
Although more than 50% of all drugs target membrane proteins, the nanoscale organization of these proteins is poorly characterized. To learn more about the nano-islands organization of membrane proteins is thus of utmost importance for a better understanding of the action of these drug treatments and to improve them. Our study may also provide better markers for specific disease stages and could lead to new drugs influencing nanoscale membrane processes.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy electron microscopy
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology autoimmune diseases
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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-2012-ADG_20120314
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
79098 Freiburg
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.