Project description
Unraveling triterpene synthesis in plants
Triterpenes are a versatile group of biologically active ingredients present in phytoextacts. Produced by plants as part of their self-defence mechanism, their use is highly valued in pharmaceutics, agriculture and biotechnology. So far, studies on triterpene biosynthesis have largely focused on eudicot plants; little is known about their biosynthesis in monocots. The EU-funded EXTRIDIM project will further investigate the origins of triterpene synthesis in monocots, the mechanism of metabolic diversification in these plants. Focus will be placed on cereals, which are the staple food of more than half of the world's population. Increasing understanding of triterpene biosynthesis in the important cereal crops could help scientists find new ways to protect the crops, ensure food security, and discover new drugs.
Objective
Triterpenes are one of the most diverse groups of plant natural products, with important roles in plant defense and wide use in medicine, food, and cosmetics. So far, studies on triterpene biosynthesis have largely focused on eudicot plants, while little is known about triterpene biosynthesis in monocots. Here, we seek to expand current knowledge of triterpene chemistry and biochemistry in monocots and to investigate mechanisms of metabolic diversification in this group of plants, and specifically in the cereals group, which together provides more than half of the global human caloric intake. Monocot genomes will be mined for identification of new triterpene-related genes and biosynthetic gene clusters. These will be utilized for biosynthesis of novel triterpene compounds via combinatorial recombinant expression in yeast and plant systems. Entire triterpene metabolic pathways will ultimately be introduced into the monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon, and pathogen-tolerance of the engineered plants will be evaluated. This will serve as an important proof-of-concept for the possibility of introducing these pathways into agriculturally-important cereals and grasses. The recent publication of the common wheat genome, coupled with fears for re-emergence of devastating fungal wheat pathogens in Europe, indicate the timeliness and relevance of the proposed action. EXTRIDIM is a highly interdisciplinary project that will draw upon the synergistic combination of the expertise and well-established scientific approach of the host lab, together with the background and complementary skills of the researcher in plant molecular biology and metabolic engineering. The proposed research will greatly contribute to the researcher’s career development and strengthen the host lab, will advance our understanding of triterpene biosynthesis in the agriculturally-important cereal crops, and will potentially lead to new applications in plant protection and drug discovery.
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 biochemistry
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture agronomy plant protection
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture grains and oilseeds cereals
- 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.
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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
NR4 7UH NORWICH
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.