Project description
Intestinal mucins and epithelial responses to bacteria
Human gut microbiota are the microorganisms of the digestive tract. Some represent a beneficial commensal bacteria but others could be pathobionts that cause inflammation. The intestinal mucus layer defines how specific microbiota members affect health and disease. The mucus layer has soluble mucins and epithelial transmembrane mucins that regulate host responses; the molecular mechanisms of these interactions are largely unknown. The EU-funded Bac2MUC project aims to identify molecular mechanisms via which distinct bacterial species regulate the functions of transmembrane mucins in the intestine. Earlier studies showed that mucin MUC1 is a key receptor for Salmonella invasion into epithelial cells, and MUC13 is a central regulator of epithelial barrier formation. The current project hypothesis is that bacteria-mucin interactions define epithelial responses by stimulating barrier formation, promoting inflammation or mediating bacterial invasion.
Objective
The intestinal microbiota consists of beneficial commensal bacteria and pathobionts that cause inflammation. The intestinal mucus layer dictates how specific members of the microbiota affect health and disease. The mucus layer consists of soluble mucins and epithelial transmembrane (TM) mucins that regulate host responses. The molecular mechanisms as to how the intestinal microbiota affect the functions of TM mucins is largely unknown. My recent work shows that TM mucin MUC1 is a key receptor for Salmonella invasion into polarized epithelial cells. We also discovered that MUC13 is a central regulator of epithelial barrier formation. I hypothesize that bacteria-mucin interactions shape epithelial responses by stimulating healthy barrier formation, driving inflammation or mediating bacterial invasion. My aim is to unravel molecular mechanisms via which distinct bacterial species regulate the functions of TM mucins MUC1 and MUC13 in the intestine. The key objectives of Bac2MUC are to: 1. Identify commensal and pathogenic bacteria that target TM mucins 2. Elucidate TM mucin signaling pathways activated by commensal and pathogenic bacteria 3. Determine the function of TM mucins during inflammation and invasion 4. Utilize bacteria-TM mucin interactions to unravel healthy epithelial barrier regulation I will use an innovative large-scale screening platform to identify novel bacteria-mucin interactions. TM mucin signaling pathways during bacterial interaction will be characterized by sortase technology. Cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and advanced microscopy will be applied in established bacterial infection assays with intestinal cell lines and organoids. Bac2MUC is an ambitious and ground-breaking project that will address, for the first time, the complex interplay between intestinal bacteria and TM mucins. This project will contribute to clinical strategies that prevent intestinal inflammation and improve mucosal barrier function.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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)
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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
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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
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2019-STG
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3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands
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