Project description
Discovering the value and potential of RG-II for plant and human health
Rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) is a major component of pectin and a key complex carbohydrate of which the plant cell wall is composed. Although its function is pivotal for plant health as well as for human gut health, there is still a lot to be explored but also a lack of appropriate research methodology and equipment. The EU-funded RG-II project aims at contributing to our understanding of RG-II biosynthesis in plants and its further exploitation to benefit plant and human health. The project focuses on the development of a molecular toolbox for the generation of relevant crucial oligosaccharides, enzymes and proteins which will be expanded to more technological solutions.
Objective
Most plants cells have a wall protecting them from environmental stress and diseases caused by pathogens. The cell wall is made up of a network of complex carbohydrates including rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II), a major component of pectin. RG-II is the most complex carbohydrate in nature and has been shown to play a critical role in plant growth, development, and protection from environmental stresses. Mutations altering the structure and composition of RG-II for example have been shown to lead to strong developmental phenotypes or lethality and decreased crop yields. RG-II components have been shown to be targeted by plant pathogens responsible for significant crop losses in agriculture and recently in the human diet by beneficial species of the human gut microbiota a key player in host-microbial interactions. Despite its importance and potential, we know very little about how RG-II is made and how it performs its functions due to its complex nature and lack of appropriate tools to study it. I have recently developed a molecular tool box including a genetic approach using the gut microbe Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron to generate diverse chemically defined RG-II-derived oligosaccharides, RG-II-degrading enzymes and recently new RG-II binding proteins and oligosaccharides. I will expand this toolbox, generate high-throughput technologies and later exploit them to enhance our understanding of RG-II biosynthesis in plants. This work will form the foundation to allow fine modulation of RG-II structures for both plant and human health benefit.
I am a British national and I completed my PhD at Newcastle University (UK) through a UK commonwealth scholarship. I have significant experience in glycobiology, microbial genetics and enzymology. At Boku University I will have the opportunity to develop skills in synthetic chemistry, glycan array development and exploitation and plant protein expression in various hosts including human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and purification
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 mutation
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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.
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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1180 Wien
Austria
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