Objective
The project will investigate multi-component molecular machines that drive substrates across the cell envelope of bacteria. Some of the machines pump antibiotics or toxins, and so contribute to drug resistance and virulence in pathogenic strains. Questions that will be addressed include what the molecular pumps look like, how they are assembled and regulated, how they capture and translocate substrates, and the stereochemical basis for the cooperative switching of substrate-binding states. Molecular pumps that will be studied include tripartite systems driven by ATP hydrolysis, which play a central role in the efflux of macrolide antibiotics and secretion of toxins in Gram-negative bacteria, and those that use secondary transporters energized by electrochemical gradients. We will build upon our earlier observations to prepare a series of intermediates encompassing the key steps in the transport processes, to visualize tertiary and quaternary structural changes, the pathway of substrates in the efflux pumps, and the threading of toxin polypeptides through the constricted channel in the secretion assembly. The pumps and secretion systems cycle through intermediate states, and these will be studied at high resolution by cryoEM and crystallography to understand how the conformational states switch with strong cooperativity and avoid futile cycles that dissipate energy. Our work indicates that the activity of these transporters can be modulated by small peptides and potential co-factors, and we will address how these work. The project will build on our novel approach to engineer the pump assemblies that enables structural analysis at high resolution in isolation and in situ, and will be complemented with mechanistic analyses in vitro and in vivo. The project will deliver a comprehensive, structure-based description of the mechanism of drug efflux and protein translocation by transport machines and their regulation in diverse pathogenic bacteria.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology mineralogy crystallography
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antibiotics
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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.
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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-2016-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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
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.