Objetivo Plants, just like animals are highly developed multicellular organisms. In contrast to animal cells however, plant cells are surrounded by a rigid, carbohydrate-rich extracellular layer, the cell wall. This cell wall provides plants with mechanic support and a dynamic chemical signalling and metabolic environment. To allow for cell expansion, cell division, coordinated tissue growth and interactions with the environment, the cell wall status constantly needs to be sensed and modified. How plant cells perceive and signal their cell wall status is poorly understood. Here, I propose an integrated approach to uncover ligands for cell wall sensing receptors as well as their downstream signalling components. Specifically, my project aims to identify the ligands for two genetically validated cell wall receptor families, using a chemical biology approach. Next, we will analyse and validate the mode of ligand-receptor interaction by combining protein X-ray crystallography, quantitative biochemistry and reverse genetics in Arabidopsis. A detailed ligand-binding and receptor activation mechanism will allow us to specifically interfere with cell wall receptor function in vivo, and to assess their biological relevance for cell wall structure and its chemical properties. Using atomic force microscopy, we will then test if the receptors are distributed uniformly at the membrane or whether they are arranged in complex 'sensosomes'. Finally, we will characterize if plant cell wall receptors can directly act as mechanosensors. With defined receptor-ligand pairs and clear phenotypes at hand, we will try to uncover downstream signalling components for plant cell wall receptors and to validate our atomic models in planta. My ultimate goal would be to design and test cell wall receptor agonists and antagonists, which will represent powerful tools to alter cell wall homoeostasis in Arabidopsis, and potentially in crops. Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologymineralogycrystallographynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopyagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture Programa(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Tema(s) ERC-2016-STG - ERC Starting Grant Convocatoria de propuestas ERC-2016-STG Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación ERC-STG - Starting Grant Institución de acogida UNIVERSITE DE LAUSANNE Aportación neta de la UEn € 1 499 966,00 Dirección QUARTIER UNIL CENTRE - BATIMENT UNICENTRE 1015 LAUSANNE Suiza Ver en el mapa Región Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Participación en los programas de I+D de la UE Opens in new window Red de colaboración de HORIZON Opens in new window Coste total € 1 499 966,00 Beneficiarios (1) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación neta de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo UNIVERSITE DE LAUSANNE Suiza Aportación neta de la UEn € 1 499 966,00 Dirección QUARTIER UNIL CENTRE - BATIMENT UNICENTRE 1015 LAUSANNE Ver en el mapa Región Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Participación en los programas de I+D de la UE Opens in new window Red de colaboración de HORIZON Opens in new window Coste total € 1 499 966,00