Project description
A closer look at flies flexing their muscles
Although water accounts for more than half a body's mass, the cells are not free-floating in all this milieu of extracellular space. In fact, the extracellular matrix (ECM) present in all tissues and organs provides essential physical scaffolding for the cells and is responsible for many biochemical and biomechanical cues required for tissue formation, cell differentiation and homeostasis. Integrins are a family of proteins that attach a cell’s cytoskeleton to the ECM and other cells and sense adhesion. Remarkably, they can sense and transmit information across the junctions bidirectionally. Disruption of integrin function likely plays a role in some diseases. The EU-funded MechanoGenetic project will investigate the role of integrin in mediating mechanical forces at a muscle-tendon junction in flies for insight into human muscular dystrophies.
Objective
Cells in our bodies constantly experience mechanical forces from their microenvironment. When cells sense a critical threshold of elevated tension, they hold tight together and allow tissues to function healthily as a group. In certain diseases, however, our cells lose their mechanosensing and adhesive properties and, as a result they get dissociated, as in the case of muscular dystrophies. Integrin-based adhesions to the extracellular matrix (ECM) are emerging as key networks of mechanotransmission. This proposal aims to discover how mechanical forces modulate cell-matrix adhesion at the myotendinous junctions in the developing Drosophila embryo, combining biophysical, molecular and genetic approaches. To achieve this goal, I propose to implement two complementary specific objectives: First, I will identify and quantify the relationship between forces and adhesion strength in mutants affecting either integrin-ECM binding or muscle contractility by utilizing in vivo laser ablation and magnetic tweezers. Second, I will examine whether and how IPP complex -a core module of the integrin adhesome- alters the molecular forces transmitted across Talin, which is a major mechanosensor at integrin junctions, utilizing suitable FRET-based biosensors. Collectively, this interdisciplinary research will provide a novel mechanical framework of how cells integrate forces and maintain tissue integrity in the living organism.
Given the striking similarities in the molecular organisation of the myotendinous junctions between fly and human, the outcome of this work will provide a deeper understanding of how we can better combat dystrophic diseases.
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.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors biosensors
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology muscular dystrophies
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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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-2018
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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.
115 27 ATHINA
Greece
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.