Project description
Small artificial reaction hubs could boost enzyme activity
Tiny programmable reaction centres inside cells could revolutionise how scientists speed up complex chemical processes. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SPACER project aims to create synthetic biomolecular condensates – liquid-like droplets inspired by natural cell structures. These condensates will be designed using engineered scaffold proteins that attract and organise enzymes, significantly enhancing their activity. By replicating the unique properties of natural condensates, this system will work both in laboratory settings and within living cells. If successful, these synthetic condensates could work inside cells like yeast or E. coli, enabling the production of complex synthetic molecules that are currently difficult to make using traditional methods.
Objective
Cells contain numerous membraneless organelles, also called biomolecular condensates referring to the liquid-like properties of these condensate droplets. Intrinsically disordered proteins enrich these condensates, and the presence of enzymes makes these condensates interesting reaction crucibles. In this project called Synthetic Programmable Artificial Condensates for Enzymatic Reactions (SPACER), I propose to design such organelle that can boost an enzymatic cascade both in vitro and in vivo. For this, a synthetic condensate scaffold protein will be used inspired by a consensus repetitive sequence of resillin. Such a model offers to twitch the protein length and material properties. Using the leading technology of the lab in coiled-coil sequences, the aim is to design specific recruitment of enzymes to the scaffold using hetero-dimeric coiled coils with high affinity. These fundamental building blocks will offer a large but still manageable variety of designs to explore conditions where enzymatic activity could be boosted. Aiming to further improve this system by designing it in such a way that our synthetic condensates function in cells, it could open up doors for the production of synthetic molecules that are currently challenging to produce in cells such as yeast and e.coli.
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.
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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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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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.
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
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.