Objective
Transmission of malaria parasites to the mosquito vector is initiated inside the blood meal by the rapid differentiation of gametocytes into gametes. Game to genesis is an explosive event that is strictly regulated by extracellular stimuli. At a permissive temperature game to genesis is triggered within seconds by a small mosquito molecule, xanthurenic acid (XA). The rapid and highly synchronised differentiation response of malarial gametocytes to a defined molecular trigger now offers a unique model to study molecular mechanisms of signal transduction and cellular regulation in Plasmodium. In a discovery-based strategy for the identification of key regulators of game to genesis, the proposed project will use functional proteomics to identify those proteins in P.falciparum gametocytes that are specifically modified in response to XA by (de)phosphorylation, proteolytic processing or other secondary modifications. Candidate proteins will be examined for their role in malaria transmission by targeted gene disruption in P. berghei.
Insights will be gained into the role of tyrosine vs. serine/threonine phosphorylation in Plasmodium, and key kinase substrates will be identified. These may include a hypothetical XA receptor, autophosphorylating kinases, and regulators of the cell cycle or proteolytically processed proteins of parasite of host erythrocyte. The proposed project will provide basic insights into signal transduction in Plasmodium and may reveal new targets for pharmacological intervention that would not necessarily be limited to sexual stages. Furthermore, this project will make a unique contribution to the annotation of the P.falciparum genome.
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 health sciences infectious diseases malaria
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology invertebrate zoology
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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.
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.
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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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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.
Coordinator
SW7 2AZ 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.