Objective
All living animals are descended from a single-celled ancestor. Understanding how this ancestor became the first multicellular animal remains a major challenge in the field of evolutionary biology. Phylogenomic analyses have shown that animals are closely related to three unicellular lineages: choanoflagellates, filastereans and ichthyosporeans, altogether forming the Holozoa clade. Genetic and phenotypic studies have shown that the filasterean Capsaspora owczarzaki can under specific growth conditions form transient multicellular aggregates. However, why is this multicellularity only transient? What are the genetic and phenotypic requirements for its emergence and stabilization? And what is the role of the actin cytoskeleton in this transition? Indeed the actin cytoskeleton is known for its pivotal role for cell coordination and morphology, which must play a role in evolution of multicellularity. To address these questions, we will use the C. owczarzaki as a model organism. We will combine cell biology, genomics and experimental evolution to unravel multicellularity emergence and stabilization. Specifically, we will aim to obtain evolved mutants showing excessive and more stable multicellular behaviour of C. owczarzaki using long-term experimental evolution. Such evolved strains would unravel how multicellularity emerged and stabilized. In addition, using random mutagenesis screen, we aim to identify mutants unable to form multicellular aggregates. Such mutants would reveal the minimum genetic requirements for such a transition. Finally, we will take advantage of recently developed genetic tools in C. owczarzaki to study the actin cytoskeleton during the cell cycle. Our results could reveal how the first multicellular ancestor of animals appeared from a genetic and cellular perspective, and, how cell fate specification was established during evolution. Results generated on this fellowship will be relevant to evolutionary, cell and developmental biologists.
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 genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
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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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
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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.
28006 MADRID
Spain
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.