Project description
Unveiling the molecular determinants of in vivo protein synthesis
Correct protein synthesis, targeting and folding is paramount for all living cells. With an increasing demand for therapeutic proteins such as antibodies, there is an urgent need to understand and control the molecular mechanisms responsible for this process. The EU-funded SMACK project will investigate how the mRNA sequence ultimately determines how, where, and when a polypeptide folds. Using a fluorescence-based experimental and analytical system, scientists will analyse kinetics of protein synthesis at the single molecule level directly inside the living cell, as well as how clinically relevant antibiotic drugs inhibit this process. The generated knowledge will provide clues regarding the design of microbial-based protein production systems, as well as the design of new antibiotic drugs.
Objective
This project aims to map the determinants of efficient synthesis, folding, and targeting of proteins in living bacterial cells, and to understand how antibiotic drugs inhibit these events. Our findings will be used to form a quantitative description of how the mRNA sequence ultimately determines how, where, and when a polypeptide should fold, which will help to design better E. coli-based production systems for recombinant proteins; both protein folding and targeting are currently severe bottlenecks. Further, by studying the effect of clinically relevant antibiotic drugs directly on ongoing protein synthesis, we will learn how the inhibitory action on the molecular level is translated into the response on cell and population level. This knowledge will help to improve the use of current drugs, as well as to provide clues regarding how new drugs should be designed.
To reach our goals, we will use and further develop our recently published fluorescence-based experimental and analytical system for live-cell single-molecule analysis of protein synthesis kinetics. Particularly, we will develop orthogonal translation systems to measure protein synthesis kinetics on defined mRNAs in an unperturbed cell background. We will also label and study key components of the universal pathway for Signal Recognition Particle-mediated cotranslational targeting of peptides to the membrane-bound peptide translocation complexes. In these applications we use small organic dyes for site-specific labeling of molecules, which allow recording of long diffusion trajectories inside cells. These trajectories are then fed to our machine-learning algorithms to deduce the binding kinetics.
With an increasing demand for therapeutic proteins, such as monoclonal antibodies for cancer treatment, there is an urgent need for microbial-based systems for cost-effective production of recombinant proteins. With our unique experimental and analytical system, we have the opportunity to aid in this development.
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
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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
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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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) ERC-2020-STG
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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.
751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
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