Objective
Protein-carbohydrate recognition plays a critical role in many biological processes and the structural basis for the interaction of proteins with complex carbohydrates is poorly understood. The interaction of degradative enzymes with their target substrates within the plant cell wall provides an excellent model system in which carbohydrate protein recognition can be studied.
The determination of how proteins may exhibit selectivity for a specific type of polysaccharide, while at the same time displaying relaxed ligand specificity to accommodate the variation in the structure of the target carbohydrate polymers, provides important insights into both the selectivity and flexibility of protein carbohydrate recognition.
An elegant example of this plasticity in ligand recognition is the hydrolytic system that degrades mannose- containing polysaccharides. Mannanases and their associated carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) display both remarkable specificity for O-manno-configured substrates but at the same time accommodate, to varying degrees, both homopolymers of mannose and heteropolymers of mannose and glucose whilst specifically excluding other polysaccharides.
The recognition of mannosides is central to a diverse array of current industrial and medical processes. Thus, the initial aim of this project is to elucidate the mechanisms by which mannanases and CBMs that recognise mannan and glucomannan recognise their respective substrates and ligands.
The understanding of the structural basis of the substrate specificity of these enzymes obtained in the initial phase of the project will inform and direct strategies designed to engineer novel specificity into these enzymes so that mannose-containing carbohydrates, tailor-made for specific applications can be synthesized. The data will make an important contribution to the fundamental basis of both selective and flexible specificity in protein-carbohydrate recognition.
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 chemical sciences polymer sciences
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis biocatalysis
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry amines
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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.
Coordinator
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
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.