RNA polymerase In immune Synergy Exploration (RISE): multi-omics dissection of phosphorylation-regulated transcriptional control in plant immunitycore
RISE · Horizon Europe grant · 2027-09-01–2029-08-31
EC contribution
Total cost
Beneficiaries
About the data
Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF · scheme HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF · topic HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01. CORDIS record →
Objective
Plants survive pathogen attack by rapidly reprogramming gene expression. Recent discoveries from my host lab revealed that cell-surface and intracellular immune systems act synergistically: intracellular immunity amplifies the strength and duration of cell-surface responses through precise regulation of defence genes. Yet, the molecular mechanism underlying this amplification remains unknown. The RISE project will test the hypothesis that RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), the central enzyme for gene transcription, is a key regulatory node in this synergy. I will 1) map Pol II transcriptional dynamics during combined immune activation using nascent RNA sequencing at single-nucleotide resolution; 2) identify phosphorylation events that fine-tune Pol II activity through data-independent-acquisition phospho-proteomics, focusing on its C-terminal domain phospho-dynamics that couple immune signals to transcription; and 3) integrate transcriptional and proteomic data into causal gene regulatory networks using time-aware algorithms constrained by prior biological knowledge. This multi-omics approach will generate high-resolution datasets and reusable pipelines to reveal how phosphorylation codes shape Pol II behaviour and enable stronger and longer-lasting immune programs. The project addresses Horizon Europe priorities by advancing understanding of plant resilience, contributing to open-science resources, and informing sustainable agriculture. It will also strengthen my technical, computational, and leadership skills. Building on my international research path from China to Germany and now to the Netherlands, the MSCA fellowship will enable me to mature into an independent researcher in plant molecular biology.
Beneficiaries (1)
| Organisation | Country | Role | EC contribution | SME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN | NL | coordinator | €217,076 |
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