Project description
Membrane lipids in the autophagy process in plants
Autophagy is a natural mechanism by which cells remove their own dysfunctional components via degradation and recycling. The process requires formation of vesicles called autophagosomes, which engulf intracellular components and deliver them to a lytic vacuole. Autophagosome formation is driven by a dedicated machinery of proteins and lipids. This EU-funded project investigates the less studied fundamental mechanisms of lipids’ contribution in this whole process in plant cells. Research will focus on the fundamental questions exploring how lipids’ nature, dynamics and lateral heterogeneity determines the phagophore structure, its protein composition and functions, using a combination of proteomic/bioinformatic approaches, lipidomics and high-resolution 3D imaging.
Objective
Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process critical to eukaryotic life and indispensable for plant survival to drought, nutrient scarcity or pathogen attacks. Autophagy relies on the formation of specialized vesicles called autophagosomes (AP) which engulf and deliver cell components to the lytic vacuole. AP biogenesis is carried out by a group of dedicated proteins (named ATG) and hinges on intense remodelling events and on the remarkable capacity of an initial membrane, the phagophore, to assemble de novo, shape like a cup, expand while maintaining structure and function and re-shape to a complete vesicle. To date the molecular mechanisms underlying these events remain elusive. Research has focused on the role of autophagy proteins but, despite AP biogenesis being a membrane-based process, the fundamental contributions of lipids to AP membrane formation, identity and activities have been largely unexplored; in other words, when it comes to AP formation we are only looking at half of the picture.
I propose to address the fundamental question of how APs form and shape from a novel angle: by exploring how lipids’ nature, dynamics and lateral heterogeneity instruct the phagophore structure, its protein composition and its functions. The project builds on our recent results and expands on strategies that we have developed, integrating proteomic/bioinformatic approaches, lipidomics and high-resolution 3D imaging. We will tackle 3 complementary objectives: 1) Reveal the dynamic lipid signature of the phagophore, 2) Elucidate the implication of lipids nature and repartition in the phagophore ultrastructure, 3) Decrypt the molecular mechanisms by which lipids interplay with ATG proteins to control autophagy activity and plant physiology. Overall the project will articulate an integrated vision of the molecular processes controlling autophagy and provide fundamental knowledge in our understanding of plant adaptive programs.
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 biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
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-2019-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.
75794 PARIS
France
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.