Project description
Post-translational modifications and T cell function
T lymphocytes are key players of the immune system, and their remarkable potency and specificity make them valuable assets in the field of immunotherapy. Therefore, understanding T cell biology and the factors that impact their activation is of fundamental importance. Funded by the European Research Council, the RELYUBL project focuses on ubiquitination, a post-translational modification known to play a role in adaptive immunity with immunological disorders displaying disrupted components of the ubiquitination system. RELYUBL aims to investigate ubiquitination in T cells and uncover the regulatory roles of ubiquitin in immune responses. Project findings have the potential to improve lymphocyte-mediated therapies.
Objective
T lymphocytes are key cells of the adaptive immune system that protect us against pathogens and malignant cells. T cell activation and differentiation are tightly controlled processes and deregulation can result in lymphomas, autoimmunity and inflammation. Hence, the biochemical events regulating lymphocyte biology have long been a topic of intense research, which has been focussed predominantly on protein phosphorylation. I hypothesize that there are crucial roles undiscovered in T cells for other posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as ubiquitin (Ub) and Ub-like proteins (UBLs). The importance of ubiquitylation in adaptive immunity is implied by the severe immunological disorders observed when components of the Ub system are disrupted in lymphocytes. Genetic approaches in mice give a limited understanding about the roles of these modifiers and do not reveal the full extent to which Ub and UBLs regulate lymphocyte biology. Deterred by the complexity of the Ub system, the field has not yet tackled the daunting challenge of systematically investigating these modifiers in vivo. The goal of this proposal is to define how T cell function and immune responses are regulated by Ub and UBL signalling networks. To pioneer substantial progress in this area, we will develop new methods to identify and characterize currently unknown recognition modules for the different modifications. We will elucidate the Ub and UBL modified proteome in lymphocytes and characterize dynamic changes of these PTMs during T cell activation. By focussing on enzymes that remove the modifications we will discover how these PTMs are regulated and define Ub and UBL-dependent signalling nodes. Each phase of the work will deliver fundamentally novel mechanistic insights into these PTMs while rewriting current concepts of signalling in lymphocytes. Ultimately, this work will inform therapies seeking to target lymphocyte activity in disease.
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology structural biology
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2015-STG
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DD1 4HN Dundee
United Kingdom
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