Obiettivo The aim of this grant is to understand how cellular, tissue-scale and organismal left-right asymmetry arisesfrom the chirality of molecular constituents. In many instances the actomyosin cortex, a thin andmechanically active layer of dynamically cross-linked filaments and molecular motors at the surface of cells,drives the emergence of chiral morphogenetic events. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mesoscalechiral active torques generated by this active layer establish the embryo’s left-right body axis. Here we wantto understand how mesoscale actomyosin active torques are generated at the molecular level, and how activetorque generation in the actomyosin surface drives chiral morphogenesis of cells, tissues and organisms.Cells and tissues represent a new class of active chiral materials where both the force and the torque balanceneed to be considered, and we will perform a systematic and cross-scale characterization of active chiralbiological matter. We will pursue an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of physics and biology. At themolecular-scale, we will use optical tweezers to measure active torques generated by single molecules of themolecular myosin and the actin polymerizing protein formin. At the cell-scale, we will reconstitute chiralactomyosin flows in vitro and characterize chiral dynamics of single molecules in vivo. At the tissue-scale,we will investigate chiral cell movements in a multicellular environment and unravel the physical basis ofchiral tissue flow in vertebrates. Theory is essential at all stages, and we will build a molecular-scale modelof actomyosin torque generation that will be coarse-grained to a generalized hydrodynamic description ofactive chiral matter. This interdisciplinary and cross-scale approach will provide fundamentally new insightsinto active chiral materials and the mechanisms by which left-right asymmetries arise in development. Campo scientifico natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryology Parole chiave Actomyosin Torque generation Chiral patterning Left Right asymmetry Morphogenesis Biophysics Modelling Theory Cell biology C.elegans Chicken Quail Programma(i) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Argomento(i) ERC-2016-ADG - ERC Advanced Grant Invito a presentare proposte ERC-2016-ADG Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant Coordinatore TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN Contribution nette de l'UE € 2 500 000,00 Indirizzo Helmholtzstrasse 10 01069 Dresden Germania Mostra sulla mappa Regione Sachsen Dresden Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 2 500 000,00 Beneficiari (1) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo netto dell'UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN Germania Contribution nette de l'UE € 2 500 000,00 Indirizzo Helmholtzstrasse 10 01069 Dresden Mostra sulla mappa Regione Sachsen Dresden Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 2 500 000,00