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HEStaff exchange2024–2027

ENRICH · Molecular receptors enrich methylated and acetylated peptides for ultra-sensitive proteomics to explore the hidden modified proteome in disease

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2024-01-01 → 2027-12-31
EU contribution
€1,545,600
Participants
11
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Molecular receptors enrich methylated and acetylated peptides for ultra-sensitive proteomics to explore the hidden modified proteome in disease

ENRICH is a Horizon Europe – MSCA Staff Exchanges project built around a practical need in protein analysis: post-translational modifications (PTMs) on histone proteins are biologically important, but they are often difficult to detect and study because of their low concentration and complex matrices. Enrichment steps are therefore essential, yet existing approaches are not always selective, robust, or easy to adapt to different PTMs. The overall objective of ENRICH is to develop and test new enrichment tools specifically aimed at histone PTMs, by combining designed “host” systems (molecules meant to bind specific targets) with functionalised nanoparticles. The project brings together complementary expertise across the partners to prepare the hosts, synthesise and functionalise the nanoparticles, characterise the resulting hybrid materials, and assess their performance in representative enrichment experiments using commercially available histone proteins. In the short term, ENRICH will deliver prototype materials and reproducible, non-sensitive procedures to improve the consistency of histone PTM enrichment. In the medium term, this is expected to improve the reliability and comparability of downstream analyses across laboratories. In the long term, the tools and protocols developed can support further research in epigenetics and chromatin biology and, where relevant, method development in applied R&D. ENRICH also follows responsible research practices, with attention to ethics, data management, and clear communication of the project’s goals and results to non-specialist audiences.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Scientific studies indicate that inefficient epigenetic control is associated with a wide variety of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, schizophrenia, and diabetes. Indeed, histone post translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial for many cellular processes including transcription and DNA repair. Thus, the ability to readily and reliably detect PTMs is crucial to better understand epigenetic processes and the complex functions of histone PTMs in human diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) is the technique of choice to identify such modifications across the proteome. MS requires an enrichment step generally performed using antibodies, but these have several limitations such as high costs, batch-to-batch variability and data reproducibility. In a multidisciplinary effort ENRICH aims at developing new cost-effective, fast and efficient tools for the enrichment of post translationally modified proteins overcoming the current limitation. ENRICH will functionalize nanoparticles (NPs) with molecular receptors able to enrich PTM-containing peptides, derived from proteolytic digestion, for subsequent MS analysis. Concurrently, the ability and selectivity of the synthesized receptors and functionalized NPs will be evaluated via spectroscopic analyses. The ENRICH network gathers the expertise required to tackle this challenge. The consortium is composed of 9 high-level academic research groups from 2 different continents (Europe and America) and 2 highly innovative companies. By the seconding of 87 ERs/ERSs across Europe and worldwide, the aim is to capitalize on the consortium expertise in complementary fields such as chemical synthesis, spectroscopy, and proteomics. The network promotes an effective integrate training of researchers, boosting their career development, and promotes collaborations between the partners. The direct involvement of industries guarantees the timely exploitation of the results from research laboratories to innovative products.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA · PARMACoordinatorItaly
  • Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Inc. · BronxUnited States
  • EpiCypher Inc. · DurhamUnited States
  • FUNDACIO INSTITUT CATALA D'INVESTIGACIO QUIMICA · TARRAGONASpain
  • KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE · KarlsruheGermany
  • SCREENFECT GMBH · EGGENSTEIN-LEOPOLDSHAFENGermany
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE LA HABANA · PLAZACuba
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES FUNDACION · Bogota DcColombia
  • UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CORDOBA · CordobaArgentina
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA · PadovaItaly
  • UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA · VictoriaCanada

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union