Objective
In mammals, transcriptional control of many genes relies on cis-regulatory elements such as enhancers, which are often located tens to hundreds of kilobases away from their cognate promoters. Functional interactions between distal regulatory elements and target promoters require mutual physical proximity, which is linked to the three-dimensional structure of the chromatin fiber. Chromosome conformation capture studies revealed that chromosomes are partitioned into Topologically Associating Domains (TADs), sub-megabase domains of preferential physical interactions of the chromatin fiber. Genetic evidence showed that TAD boundaries restrict the genomic range of enhancer-promoter communication, and that interactions between regulatory sequences within TADs are further fine-tuned by smaller-scale structures. However, the mechanistic details of how physical interactions translate into transcriptional outputs are totally unknown. Here we propose to explore the biophysical mechanisms that link chromosome conformation and long-range transcriptional regulation using molecular biology, genetic engineering, single-cell experiments and physical modeling. We will measure chromosomal interactions in single cells and in time using a novel method that relies on an enzymatic process in vivo. Genetic engineering will be used to establish a cell system that allows quantitative measurement of how enhancer-promoter interactions relate to transcription at the population and single-cell levels, and to test the effects of perturbations without confounding effects. Finally, we will develop physical models of promoter operation in the presence of distal enhancers, which will be used to interpret the experimental data and formulate new testable predictions. With this integrated approach we aim at providing an entirely new layer of description of the general principles underlying transcriptional control, which could establish new paradigms for research in epigenetics and gene regulation.
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.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics chromosomes
- medical and health sciences basic medicine medical genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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-STG - Starting Grant
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2017-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.