CLOCK | Characterization of the circadian chromatin landscape using a novel CRISPR/Cas9-guided proximity-labelling technique

Summary
To stay in synchrony with environmental cycles, most living organisms possess endogenous clocks. Circadian clocks are molecular oscillators present in most mammalian cells that drive circadian (~24 h) rhythms of a wide range of molecular, physiological and behavioral functions. Circadian clocks are essential for health. In humans their dysregulation (e.g. caused by shift work, jet lag etc.) has been associated with the development of multiple pathologies (e.g. cancer, metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases) prevalent in the European Union.

One central aspect of molecular oscillator function is the tight regulation of circadian transcription. Over the years, several proteins and cis-regulatory enhancer elements (i.e. specific sequences located around the promoter region, e.g. E-box, RRE, D-box) have been shown to be essential for circadian transcription. However, mainly because of technical limitations, those studies focused on few regulators and have left many gaps in the understanding of the dynamics of the circadian transcription. Therefore, this project proposes to use state-of-the-art quantitative genomic-locus proteomics to provide the first comprehensive and unbiased characterization of the rhythmic protein binding at key circadian regulatory regions – a key regulatory node of circadian clock function Using a CRISPR/Cas9-APEX labelling method (CASPEX), we will first characterize the circadian chromatin landscape of the three main circadian regulatory regions (i.e. E-boxes, RREs, D-boxes). We expect to find new clock modifiers, whose role for circadian rhythm generation will be investigated in a subsequent part of the project, using an RNAi-based secondary screen. Overall, this project will provide novel insights in the circadian oscillator mechanism in humans, which is essential for developing better treatment strategies for circadian clock-associated disorders.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/846016
Start date: 01-12-2020
End date: 30-11-2022
Total budget - Public funding: 162 806,40 Euro - 162 806,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

To stay in synchrony with environmental cycles, most living organisms possess endogenous clocks. Circadian clocks are molecular oscillators present in most mammalian cells that drive circadian (~24 h) rhythms of a wide range of molecular, physiological and behavioral functions. Circadian clocks are essential for health. In humans their dysregulation (e.g. caused by shift work, jet lag etc.) has been associated with the development of multiple pathologies (e.g. cancer, metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases) prevalent in the European Union.

One central aspect of molecular oscillator function is the tight regulation of circadian transcription. Over the years, several proteins and cis-regulatory enhancer elements (i.e. specific sequences located around the promoter region, e.g. E-box, RRE, D-box) have been shown to be essential for circadian transcription. However, mainly because of technical limitations, those studies focused on few regulators and have left many gaps in the understanding of the dynamics of the circadian transcription. Therefore, this project proposes to use state-of-the-art quantitative genomic-locus proteomics to provide the first comprehensive and unbiased characterization of the rhythmic protein binding at key circadian regulatory regions – a key regulatory node of circadian clock function Using a CRISPR/Cas9-APEX labelling method (CASPEX), we will first characterize the circadian chromatin landscape of the three main circadian regulatory regions (i.e. E-boxes, RREs, D-boxes). We expect to find new clock modifiers, whose role for circadian rhythm generation will be investigated in a subsequent part of the project, using an RNAi-based secondary screen. Overall, this project will provide novel insights in the circadian oscillator mechanism in humans, which is essential for developing better treatment strategies for circadian clock-associated disorders.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2018

Update Date

28-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
MSCA-IF-2018