Objetivo The overall objective is to develop general strategies for creating sensors and switches that work inside cells. They will be engineered from Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins (DARPins) as general binding proteins that function inside cells and can be generated against any target by selection and directed evolution. Light-triggered switches will be engineered by placing a LOV domain from phototropin in such a way across the DARPin that it is blocked, and only the light-triggered conformational change makes the DARPin accessible. As a second strategy, DARPins specifically recognizing each one of the two isomers of azobenzene, which can be interconverted by light, will be used within light-dependent cross-linkers. Third, DARPins selected to tightly bind fluorogens, by which these small molecules increase their fluorescence by several orders of magnitude, will be converted into general sensors of the conformation of a target protein working within the cell: large DARPins will be created with overlapping binding sites for the protein of interest and the fluorogen. By using DARPins which can selectively distinguish conformations of the target protein, the conformational changes are made visible in a spatiotemporal manner in an individual cell. As proof of principle, we will generate sensors and switches for the kinase domains of the four ErbB receptors, pivotal in signal transduction in human cancers. To increase the impact of this research further, these novel switches and sensors have to be efficiently brought into cells. For this purpose, adenovirus will be engineered for novel cell tropism, also by using DARPins, to homogenously infect tumor cells to study ErbB signaling and the effect of therapeutics in real time in a receptor-differentiating manner. While tested for the ErbB family as a prototype, the strategies to be developed will be totally general and should open up novel ways of studying signaling within cells in real time and with high spatial resolution. Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology Programa(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Tema(s) ERC-AG-LS1 - ERC Advanced Grant - Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry Convocatoria de propuestas ERC-2010-AdG_20100317 Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Institución de acogida University of Zurich Aportación de la UE € 2 158 800,00 Dirección RAMISTRASSE 71 8006 ZURICH Suiza Ver en el mapa Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Investigador principal Andreas Georg Plückthun (Prof.) Contacto administrativo Andreas Plückthun (Prof.) Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos Beneficiarios (1) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo University of Zurich Suiza Aportación de la UE € 2 158 800,00 Dirección RAMISTRASSE 71 8006 ZURICH Ver en el mapa Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Investigador principal Andreas Georg Plückthun (Prof.) Contacto administrativo Andreas Plückthun (Prof.) Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos