Project description
Insight into the role of microbiota secondary metabolites
Gut microbiota have co-evolved with the host to facilitate homeostasis through complex host–microbe and microbe–microbe interactions. Scientists of the EU-funded RiPPs from the Gut project are interested in studying the microbiota from a functional perspective, focussing on microbial secondary metabolites or natural products (NPs). Using bioactivity assays and chemical proteomics, they will investigate the role and synthesis of different NPs from biosynthetic gene clusters in the most abundant gut bacteria. Emphasis will be placed on NPs of the ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) family. The results will help decipher the possible therapeutic applications of these metabolites in syndromes associated with gut microbiota disturbance.
Objective
The human gut is the habitat for trillions of microbial cells living in synergy with each other and with the host. While metagenomic studies of the gut microbiome have provided a wealth of DNA sequence data, functional studies of gut bacteria remain challenging. To study the gut microbiome from a functional perspective, understanding host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions is key. These contacts are often established by specialized molecules termed secondary metabolites or natural products (NPs). The machinery required to synthesize these metabolites is encoded in bacterial genomes by biosynthetic gene clusters (BCGs). Remarkably, even though 14,000 BGCs were identified in the human microbiota, very little is known about the identities and functions of their products. To address that, we will focus on NPs of the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) family, the second most abundant NP class in the human gut. The Piel group recently discovered unprecedented RiPPs with altered peptide backbones, challenging the paradigm that ribosomal synthesis is limited to the L-alpha-amino acid topology. These modifications include the excision of a tyramine moiety from a tyrosine-glycine motif, which introduces an alpha-keto-beta-amino acid in the peptide precursor backbone; and the epimerization of amino acids from L- to D-configuration. Enzymes homologous to these backbone-modifying catalysts and associated with RiPP gene clusters have been found bioinformatically in a wide variety of bacterial genomes, including gut microbiome representatives. The pervasiveness of these BGCs in microbiome bacteria suggests a function for these metabolites and possible therapeutic applications. This proposal aims to identify the products of these gene clusters in representatives of the most abundant phyla in the gut microbiome. In addition, we will examine the functions of the discovered metabolites utilizing bioactivity assays and chemical proteomics.
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 proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics dark matter
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry amines
- 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.1.3. - 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.
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland
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.