Project description
Natural hybrid peptide-based molecules as novel antibiotics
The rise of drug-resistant bacteria – particularly Gram-negative pathogens – is one of the most pressing threats to global public health. Antibiotics with novel modes of action are urgently needed. One underexplored avenue is a rare, naturally occurring pathway that produces hybrid molecules formed by linking two distinct peptide classes with potential antimicrobial activity. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TROJAN NRPS-RiPP project aims to identify and characterise the natural product resulting from this pathway. It will investigate its structure and antibacterial properties, the enzyme responsible for linking the two peptides and whether the enzyme could be harnessed to generate a new portfolio of tailor-made antibiotics.
Objective
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat, with the World Health Organization highlighting Gram-negative pathogens as a critical priority. New antibiotics with innovative modes of action are urgently needed. This project aims to discover and characterize a previously unexplored biosynthetic gene cluster predicted to encode a hybrid natural product that links two major peptide classes: ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). Such hybrid pathways are extremely rare and represent a promising but uncharted area for antibiotic discovery.
The first objective is to identify and structurally characterize the natural product encoded by this pathway. This will be achieved using genome mining, bioinformatics, and heterologous expression of candidate genes, followed by isolation and advanced qualitative organic analysis methods such as NMR and MS. The second objective is to investigate the structural basis of the encoded RiPP, which is predicted to form a β-helix through an alternating L/D residue pattern. Biophysical methods will test whether this fold contributes to antibacterial activity, for example through ion channel formation. The third objective is to characterize the unique enzyme responsible for attaching the NRP to the RiPP scaffold, which represents a new enzymatic function at the interface of two biosynthetic classes. This enzyme will be studied using biochemical assays and engineered through directed evolution to assess its potential for generating “mix-and-match” antibiotics.
By combining natural product discovery, structural biology, and enzyme engineering, this interdisciplinary project will provide new insights into peptide biosynthesis and resistance-evading antibiotic mechanisms. The outcomes will include fundamental advances in understanding RiPP–NRP hybrid biosynthesis, along with identification of new antibiotic drug leads to target Gram-negative infections.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance antibiotic resistance
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology structural biology
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)
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Topic(s)
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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.
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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.