Project description
The mechanism of irreversible replication fork arrest
DNA replication is essential for cell proliferation, and obstacles to this process result in replication stress blocking replication forks. In response, cells activate the DNA damage checkpoint pathway to prevent DNA damage and ensure cell survival. The essential function of the checkpoint is to stabilise blocked replication forks to ensure that replication will resume after obstacles are removed. The yeast checkpoint kinase Rad53 and its human analogue Chk1 are involved in the prevention of irreversible replication fork arrest (IRFA) and cell death caused by replication stress. The EU-funded Irrev Fork Arrest project will employ in vitro replication reconstitution with yeast purified proteins to determine the proteins and enzymatic activities required to promote IRFA in the absence of the checkpoint.
Objective
DNA replication is essential for cell proliferation. Obstacles to replication generate replication stress by stalling replication forks. In response to replication stress, cells activate the DNA damage checkpoint pathway that coordinates a cellular response to prevent DNA damage and ensure cell survival. One essential function of the checkpoint is to stabilise stalled replication forks and ensure that replication will resume after obstacles are removed. Specifically, the yeast checkpoint effector kinase Rad53 and its human counterpart Chk1 are essential to prevent irreversible replication fork arrest (IRFA), DNA damage and cell death under replication stress. A screen to identify factors required to promote IRFA has revealed a role for unrestricted recombination events in promoting IRFA. However, mechanistic studies are still required to understand how the checkpoint stabilises stalled forks and prevents IRFA. Recently, in vitro replication reconstitution with yeast purified proteins in the lab has helped uncover important mechanisms of DNA replication. I will use this system to reconstitute IRFA in vitro and determine the proteins and enzymatic activities required to promote IRFA in the absence of the checkpoint. I will then look for phosphorylation targets of Rad53 to understand how the checkpoint prevents IRFA. I will study changes at the DNA and replisome of stalled replication forks by 2D electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and cryo-EM to understand the causes of the irreversibility of IRFA. We seek to better characterise an essential function of the DNA damage checkpoint and define a new role for unrestricted recombination in promoting DNA damage. Main challenges of current cancer therapies include the appearance of surviving checkpoint-deficient cancer cells. Despite constant replication stress, it is unknown why these cells do not suffer irreversible fork arrest. Understanding IRFA could help design new therapies to target checkpoint-deficient cancer cells.
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 genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrophoresis
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry mass spectrometry
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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-EF-ST - Standard EF
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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-2019
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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.
NW1 1AT London
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.