Project description
Improved crops for large-scale production of phytosterols
Phytosterols, precious biomolecules deriving from agricultural waste stuff, are used as a livestock food and as a raw material in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. The development of bioengineering programmes and high-quality crops for the large-scale production of phytosterols represents a key challenge for farmers and biologists. The project will perform a functional molecular characterization of a tobacco variant containing an as-yet-unknown semi-dominant mutation responsible for phytosterol overproduction, and of mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana manifesting the suppression of phytosterol low-production phenotypes. Through advanced genomics, the EU-funded HiPhy project will identify master regulators of phytosterol biosynthesis and accumulation in plants.
Objective
Phytosterols (PS) are valuable biomolecules used as nutrients and as feedstock material for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The challenge biologists and breeders are faced with is to develop bioengineering programs and valuable crops dedicated to the large-scale production of PS, which are currently extracted from agricultural waste materials. The goal of the proposal is to identify master regulators of PS biosynthesis and accumulation in plants. In fact, PS have essential cellular functions in plant growth and development, acting as key membrane components and membrane reinforcers, as signals in development and as precursors of brassinosteroids, a class of growth regulators. As such, the concentration of PS is highly regulated in order to comply with cellular homeostasis. To reach the goal, we will carry out a functional molecular characterization of a tobacco variant carrying a yet unknown semi-dominant mutation responsible for PS overproduction and Arabidopsis thaliana mutants exhibiting a suppressor phenotype of a defect in the production of precursors of isoprenoid lipids, such as PS. The work plan is to apply advanced genomics for next-generation mapping, leading to the elucidation of mutations in genes of interest (GOI) that regulate PS accumulation. The validation of candidate GOI will be done by genome editing and the role of novel alleles in PS metabolism will be performed by various functional and metabolomic studies. Finally, the combined expression of selected GOI with steroidogenic enzymes will be assessed by implementing in folia expression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana.
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.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering gene therapy
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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-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.
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.