Objective
The questions of how genetic programs regulate the formation of a complex multi-cellular body and how these genetic programs evolved are key topics of the modern developmental biology. Cnidarians are of especial interest for the Evolution and Development field, as they occupy a unique evolutionary position of a sister group to all bilaterian Eumetazoa. There are two main features, which make Cnidaria distinct from all the other multi-cellular animals: the lack of typical bilateral symmetry and the lack of mesoderm, the third germ layer.
The information on what molecular mechanisms are critical for the rise of these features in Bilateria still remains scarce. The very conserved developmental process, during which the germ layers arise, is called gastrulation. The best cnidarian model for studying gene activity during embryogenesis is the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. It was shown previously that conserved transcription factors such as brachyury, forkhead, snail, twist and others are expressed in spatially restricted domains during gastrulation (Scholz and Technau, 2003; Martindale et al., 2004; et al., 2004). Expression domains suggest conservation of the function of these genes in the course of evolution. However, to my knowledge, no unbiased functional screen has been carried out in a cnidarian. I, therefore, propose a project focused on the unbiased search for genes, which are functionally involved in the process of gastrulation in N. vectensis, with the use of expression cloning strategy.
In the screen proposed, pools of mRNAs will be injected into the early embryos of N. vectensis. Sib selection procedure on active pools will allow finding individual genes functionally involved in the process of gastrulation. The project will shed light on the genetic basis of gastrulation in an evolutionary old metazoan and bring us closer to understanding the genetic features of the common ancestor of all multi-cellular animals.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology invertebrate zoology
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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.
FP6-2005-MOBILITY-7
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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.
IIF - Marie Curie actions-Incoming International Fellowships
Coordinator
VIENNA
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.