Objective
Group II introns are one class of naturally occurring catalytic RNAs, ranging between 600 and thousands of nucleotides in length. These ribozymes catalyze a variety of reactions, among which the self splicing activity is the most prominent one. These large molecular machines are found primarily in organellar genes of plants, fungi and lower eukaryotes, but also in many bacteria. Metal ions are crucial for folding and activity of catalytic RNA molecules, however their structural and mechanicistic roles are poorly understood. Many biochemical studies have been performed in the past, but few structural information is available on group II intron ribozymes. Here we plan to structurally characterize by NMR the kappa-zeta region of domain 1 of the group IIB intron Sc.ai5gamma originating from the cox1 gene in yeast mitochondria, both in the absence and presence of metal ions, in addition to investigate its docking to domain 5. The kappa-zeta region is the most central part of these ribozymes as not only it represents the nucleation core of intron folding but its complex with domain 5 comprises the largest part of the catalytic core. This dual role underlines the significance of any new information on structure, metal ion binding and domain assembly gained of these fascinating molecules, which are considered ancestors not only of the spliceosome but also of large part of the eukaryotic genome. Belonging to action 2 of the FP7 “Work Program-PEOPLE” this project intends to train an experienced researcher in the (for her) novel fascinating field of “Coordination Chemistry of nucleic acids”, a field at the interface between Chemistry and Life Science, two different Marie Curie panels.
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 biochemistry biomolecules nucleic acids
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics nucleotides
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes eukaryotic genomes
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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.
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.
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.
FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
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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.
Coordinator
Zürich
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.