Revealing the hidden secrets of the MEP pathway to engineer new bio-resources for humanity

Projektinformationen

BIOHELP

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 627639

Abgeschlossenes Projekt

Startdatum 1 September 2014

Enddatum 15 Juli 2018

Finanziert unter

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Gesamtkosten € 265 317,30

EU-Beitrag € 265 317,30

Koordiniert durch

CENTRE DE RECERCA EN AGRIGENOMICA CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB
Spain

Ziel

The recently-discovered methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway produces isoprenoids in plant plastids and most microorganisms. Its absence in animals makes it a promising target for antibiotic development. In addition, many isoprenoids have important industrial applications (pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, fuels, rubbers, etc.). In order to fully exploit this pathway as a drug target and successfully engineer isoprenoid bioproduction, we must understand its regulation. Emerging disciplines like systems biology, synthetic biology, and computational modelling offer powerful tools to address this problem. However, combined expertise in these disciplines is available in few places in the world.

The first objective is to study carbon flux through the MEP pathway using systems and synthetic biology. This will enable a detailed understanding of the complexity of regulation in the context of the whole metabolic network. Moreover, it will provide engineering targets to improve flux through the pathway (which thus far has met with little success). Targeted engineering will be linked to bio-production of carotenoids, essential isoprenoid nutrients associated with protection against chronic human diseases.

The second objective is to target deoxyxylulose reductase (DXR), a key enzyme that represents a species-specific variant pathway node. The metabolic conseqeunces of this variant node for pathway flux will be examined. Moreover, structural analysis will be used to develop DXR-specific drugs. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to a general decline in their efficacy, and availability of new antibiotics is desperately needed; this approach promises a route to powerful, species-specific antibiotics with fewer side-effects.

It is expected that this research will lead to the generation of fundamental knowledge about the MEP pathway regulation and antibiotic development. This will have wide-reaching applications in biotechnological production of isoprenoids and health.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet

• natural sciences › biological sciences › synthetic biology
• medical and health sciences › basic medicine › pharmacology and pharmacy › pharmaceutical drugs › antibiotics
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels
• natural sciences › biological sciences › microbiology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biochemistry › biomolecules › proteins › enzymes

Programm/Programme

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Thema/Themen

• FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development"

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigen

Finanzierungsplan

MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

Koordinator

CENTRE DE RECERCA EN AGRIGENOMICA CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB

Kontakt Verwaltung

Maite Iriarte (Ms.)

• EU-Beitrag: € 265 317,30
• Adresse: PARC DE RECERCA DE L UAB CAMPUS UAB EDIFICI CRAG BELLATERRA ; 08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles ; Spanien
• Region: Este › Cataluña › Barcelona
• Aktivitätstyp: Other
• Gesamtkosten: Keine Daten