Project description
Synthetic polyploids tested for agricultural purposes
Artificially generated (synthetic) polyploids, which lack an evolved meiosis, can help create novel crop varieties. The EU-funded ProSPECT project will address the challenge of genome instability in synthetic polyploids, testing the viability of two strategies to artificially induce meiotic adjustments to improve chromosome segregation, using Arabidopsis thaliana polyploid mutants as proof-of-concept. The first strategy will apply meiotic recombination mutants known to reduce the number of meiotic crossovers to test whether this is sufficient to limit the opportunities for multivalent formation in A. thaliana synthetic polyploid inbreds. The second will employ polyploid hybrids carrying combinations of meiotic mutants known to restrict meiotic crossovers to (nearly) identical partners to determine whether they impede associations among more than two chromosomes.
Objective
Polyploids, which result from Whole Genome Duplication (WGD) events, are thought to have enhanced adaptability which might explain why they are so pervasive in nature and especially in crop plants. Furthermore, polyploids exhibit multiple advantages, from an agricultural perspective, such as often having larger fruits, and being more resilient to like drought and salinity. However, polyploidy requires evolving an adapted meiosis (well documented in natural polyploids) to cope with their additional chromosome sets during meiotic segregation; otherwise, resulting aneuploidies lead to genome instability and fertility problems. Because little is known about these adaptive mechanisms, the meiotic instability displayed by artificially generated (synthetic) polyploids (which lack of an evolved meiosis) cannot be eluded and the use of these synthetic polyploids remains exceptional as a tool to generate novel crop varieties. It is expected that regulating meiotic crossovers to prevent formation of multivalent associations among more than two homologous chromosomes during meiosis would decisively improve segregation and fertility of synthetic polyploids. While compelling, this hypothesis has not been formally tested. ProSPECT aims to address the problem of genome instability in synthetic polyploids by testing the viability of two strategies to artificially induce meiotic adjustments that might improve chromosome segregation using Arabidopsis thaliana polyploid mutants as a proof of concept. To do so I will use two strategies: (a) First, I will use meiotic recombination mutants known to reduce the number of meiotic crossovers to test if this is sufficient to limit the chances for multivalent formation in A. thaliana synthetic polyploid inbreds. (b) Second, I will use polyploid hybrids carrying combinations of meiotic mutants known to restrict meiotic crossovers to (nearly) identical partners to test if this is sufficient to impede associations among more than two chromosomes.
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.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics heredity
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics chromosomes
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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-2020
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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.
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland
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.