Objective
In mammals, fusion of two highly differentiated gametes gives rise to a totipotent zygote capable of developing into a whole organism. It coincides with translation and degradation of maternally provided transcripts, initiation of global transcription called zygotic genome activation (ZGA), and “epigenetic reprogramming” of germline chromatin states into an embryonic state. The molecular mechanisms underlying this exquisite reprogramming of cell fate are barely understood.
This research program has the ambitious goal to identify and characterize in a comprehensive way the transcription factors and chromatin regulators which initiate and regulate ZGA in a parental specific manner in early mouse embryos. We will utilize novel and highly sensitive genomic approaches to measure nascent transcription and determine open and modified chromatin landscapes in oocytes and early embryos, wild-type and conditionally deficient for major epigenetic modifiers. We will apply computational approaches to identify candidate TFs and histone modifiers controlling ZGA. We will use molecular and developmental biology approaches, combined with sensitive quantitative live-imaging, to interrogate the function of TFs and their binding sites for ZGA.
We will further investigate the significance of possible paternal inheritance of nucleosomes at CpG islands for gene regulation during ZGA and later development by depleting nucleosomes from mature sperm by using sophisticated conditional deficiency and gain-of-function mouse models. By transferring nuclei of immature spermatid and mature sperm into oocytes, we will interrogate the relevance of nucleosome eviction during spermatogenesis, as a possibly truly epigenetic reprogramming process, for defining embryonic competence.
ERC funding would represent a crucial contribution to dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying acquisition of totipotency in mouse embryos and may impact on the use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in human med
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.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine gynaecology reproductive medicine
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2015-AdG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
4056 BASEL
Switzerland
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.