The production, crystallisation, and structure determination and analysis of membrane proteins involved in the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Objective

Experimentally, membranes and their lipid and protein components, are extremely challenging to work with. They are the main interface between the biological cell contents and the exterior medium and this makes them important targets when looking at human disease in pathogenic species. However membrane proteins require innovative and specialized strategies and techniques to produce, purify, characterize, and, in the case of structural biology, to crystallize for structure determination. This project aims to shed light on one particular protein export system present in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa while further developing the in meso crystallization method, the data collection and data processing strategies. We will perform structure-function studies on the alkaline protease system present in pseudomonal and related species. This system is one of the important virulent factors used by these pathogens to create a favourable environment for continued infection. Increasing our knowledge on this system will be important to improve the life of patients with cystic fibrosis and those affected by bacterial refractory keratitis. We aim to clone, express, purify and crystallize three membrane proteins involved in the alkaline protease expression system by exploiting the knowledge and experience that resides within the Membrane Structural and Functional Biological. Become proficient and independent in the execution of these highly specialized techniques as applied to membrane proteins. Contribute to the methodology development from in meso crystallogenesis and crystal harvesting to diffraction data collection and processing using multiple small crystals (<80 microns). Train group members in data collection and processing, and structure determination. Solve the structure of one novel membrane protein involved in virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biochemically and biophysically characterise the target protein.

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.

• natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
• natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
• natural sciences computer and information sciences data science data processing
• 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)

• Biological sciences
• Health sciences
• Membrane proteins
• Physics
• Structural biology
• X-ray diffraction
• proteases
• protein export
• pseudomonas

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

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.

• PEOPLE-2007-2-1.IEF - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development"

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
See other projects for this call

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.

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Coordinator

Participants (1)