Objective
A long-standing question in biology is how do transcription activators and repressors exert their function over large batteries of specific targets spread throughout the genome in a timely and coordinated way. An excellent model system to study this process is zygotic genome activation (ZGA) that happens during development of every animal and hallmarks initiation of transcription from the zygotic genome. During ZGA, developmental cues such as morphogen gradients are converted into coordinated and robust spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression. I will study the mechanisms that govern this process by focusing on transcriptional activator Zelda – a key protein that orchestrates ZGA in Drosophila melanogaster. Using in vitro assays on purified recombinant proteins, I will investigate Zelda’s interactions with DNA, chromatin, RNA and transcription factors and examine the capability of such reconstituted system to recapitulate key aspects of gene regulation such as local clustering of regulatory DNA regions and transcription factors. I will examine structural and biophysical properties of Zelda, test its propensity to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation and explore the consequences it has for its interactions with its binding partners and its function. The in vitro approach will be combined with in vivo experiments in Drosophila using tagged wild-type and mutant variants. This combined approach will give us novel insights into mechanisms governing zygotic genome activation as well as general rules of transcriptional regulation. Local clustering of enhancer and promoters emerges as a general principle of transcriptional regulation. Understanding the mechanisms that could drive formation of these micro-domains is therefore of paramount importance, not only to basic biology, but also for development of new strategies to treat diseases caused by transcriptional dysregulation.
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 genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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.
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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-EF-ST - Standard EF
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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-2017
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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.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.