Project description
Molecular mechanisms of endosymbiosis
Endosymbiosis is the phenomenon of integration of one cell within another to become a critical component of the recipient, changing its characteristics and creating a novel evolutionary trajectory. Paramecium bursaria is a single-cell protist with multiple green algae within, forming a phototrophic endosymbiosis. This relationship is nascent, and the partners can be separated and grown separately with the subsequent reinitiation of endosymbiosis. The EU-funded CELL-in-CELL project will identify, for the first time, the gene functions responsible for stable endosymbiotic interaction. To identify host genes determining endosymbiosis in P. bursaria, researchers developed RNAi silencing technology. They will conduct genome sequencing, followed by a large-scale RNAi knockdown screening experiment to identify host genes and proteins involved in the endosymbiosis process.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
Host institution
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
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Beneficiaries (2)
OX1 2JD Oxford
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Participation ended
EX4 4QJ Exeter