Objective
Summary
In presynaptic nerve endings, neurotransmitters are stored in synaptic vesicles (SVs) before they are released by exocytosis. SVs contain specific transporters that sequester and concentrate transmitters from cytoplasmic pools. All known vesicular transporters belong to the solute carrier (SLC) superfamily of proteins. They draw the energy for transport from an electrochemical proton gradient created by a V-ATPase across the vesicle membrane. However, despite recent progress it is still largely unclear how synaptic vesicles are filled with hundreds of mM transmitter within less than a minute. Open questions include (1) how exactly transport is linked to the proton gradient and which ions are coupled to solute transport, (2) how two different transmitters can be accommodated by the same SV, and (3) how much transmitter can be loaded into an SV and how the stored transmitter is kept inside and prevented from leaking out.
Here we will focus on the vesicular transporters for glutamate (VGLUTs) and GABA/glycine (VGAT or VIAAT), the main excitatory and inhibitory transmitters in the CNS, and on the vesicular transporter for ATP (VNUT). Primarily we will use biochemical approaches employing purified SVs and artificial vesicles, recombinant proteins (either purified and reconstituted in liposomes or using vesicles isolated from transfected cells), in combination with quantitative in vitro assays, for characterizing the features of transport and storage. To achieve this, we plan to develop advanced methods involving adaptation of new fluorescent probes and microscopic analysis of loading and unloading using microfluidic devices. For these experiments, vesicles will be captured by affinity ligands such as antibodies printed on glass surfaces. This allows for analyzing small numbers of vesicles such as SVs derived from primary cultured neurons or transport vesicles from transfected cells that are tagged and labeled with fluorescent reporters before isolation.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- engineering and technology materials engineering
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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-2017-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.
80539 Munchen
Germany
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.