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Protometabolic pathways: exploring the chemical roots of systems biology

Description du projet

Des informations concernant les origines de la vie

Avant l’émergence de la vie sur notre planète, les réactions chimiques de type métabolique étaient probablement catalysées, en partie, par des métaux plutôt que par des enzymes. Néanmoins, on ignore encore comment de tels processus ont pu conduire au développement de structures de type cellulaire et à l’évolution de la vie telle que nous la connaissons aujourd’hui. C’est pour faire la lumière sur ces questions que le projet ProtoMet, financé par l’UE, entend reconstituer des compartiments protocellulaires in vitro et déterminer les processus métaboliques spécifiques qui ont pu se produire il y a des milliards d’années. Les résultats du projet permettront d’élucider les mystères entourant l’origine de la vie et de mieux comprendre les fondements chimiques de la biologie actuelle. Ils aideront également à mettre au point de nouvelles technologies semblables à la vie.

Objectif

Understanding how prebiotic chemistry gave rise to life as we know it represents one of the greatest enduring mysteries. The complete absence of a historical record requires the collaboration of scientists from different disciplines with access to advanced tools in order to make any meaningful progress. Here, we plan to exploit this tremendous challenge to train a new generation of scientists to think big, but also to work methodically and logically alongside colleagues from academia and industry. Eight Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) will be recruited to work in laboratories with expertise in systems chemistry, synthetic biology, microfluidics, and science philosophy to develop together a reconstituted protometabolism within compartments consisting of coacervates, vesicles, coacervate containing vesicles, and compartments etched into microfluidic chips. The underlying protometabolism will be composed of triose glycolysis and a reverse citric acid cycle and will be regulated by (metallo)peptide catalysts. Importantly, the protometabolism will support the maintenance of the compartment that houses the protocell. The ESRs that primarily focus on the construction of compartments that mimic protocellular structures will gain firsthand experience in how their formulations could be exploited as drug delivery vehicles through secondments at partner organizations. Similarly, the ESRs that develop (metallo)peptide catalysts will apply their newfound skills to the development of drug molecules through a secondment at a company that specializes in metallodrug formulations. Ultimately, by becoming experts in elucidating the chemical underpinnings of all known living cells, the ESRs will be extremely well positioned to enter a wide variety of research fields from synthetic biology to medicinal chemistry in either industry or academia.

Coordinateur

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 261 499,68
Adresse
VIA CALEPINA 14
38122 Trento
Italie

Voir sur la carte

Région
Nord-Est Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento
Type d’activité
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Liens
Coût total
€ 261 499,68

Participants (7)

Partenaires (3)