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Artificial Translation with Dynamic Foldamers: Relaying Encoded Messages into Chemical Function

Project description

Communicating with artificial vesicles and living cells

The EU-funded DOGMATRON project will develop new classes of extended dynamic molecules that respond to their environment by changing shape. They will receive, communicate, amplify, transmit and process information encoded in their molecular conformation and orientation. These switchable synthetic molecules, which will be designed and synthesised within the project, will be capable of information-handling functions that go beyond the current limits of synthetic structures. The project will also develop new methods to explore their kinetics and thermodynamics. Ultimately, these chemical systems will take information from the environment and process it into chemical function. Applications for these synthetic communication systems will see them being embedded into cell membranes to communicate with both artificial vesicles and living cells.

Objective

We propose to apply the power of synthetic chemistry to a new challenge in synthetic biomimicry: the translation of encoded information into molecular function. We propose to design and build switchable synthetic molecules that are capable of communicating and processing information. This ambitious aim will be achieved through new classes of extended dynamic molecules that respond to their environment by changing shape, principally by invertase polarity/directionality. They will receive, communicate, amplify, transmit, and process information encoded in their molecular conformation and orientation. New analystic methods will be developed to explore their kinetics and thermodynamics. Characterized by a high level of intramolecular structural organization, they will participate in strong, selective mutual interactions, allowing them to process information through intramolecular and intermolecular interactions in simple and complex mixtures, both solution and in the membrane phase. These chemical systems will be able to extract information from their environment (the presence of a specific metal or organic molecule, a genetically encoded message, pH, or irradiation at a specific wavelength) and process it into chemical function. Life takes information in the form of bond polarity encoded in base pairs and translates it into biochemical function in the form of protein structure, and our synthetic structures will likewise translate molecular polarity into function by using new classes of promiscuous Watson-Crick-like base-pairs, able to switch between alternative hydrogen-bond polarities. Applications for these synthetic communication systems will ultimately see them embedded into cell membranes, allowing the selective control of function by communicating into the interior of both artificial vesicles and living cells.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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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.

ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2019-ADG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 2 499 805,00
Address
BEACON HOUSE QUEENS ROAD
BS8 1QU BRISTOL
United Kingdom

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Region
South West (England) Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area Bristol, City of
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 2 499 805,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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