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Chemical Biology of Native Nucleic Acid Modifications (SPP 1784)

Termin:
15.12.2014
Fördergeber:
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
The Senate of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) has announced the establishment of a new Priority Programme entitled "Chemical Biology of Native Nucleic Acid Modifications" (SPP 1784). The Priority Programme is designed to run for six years; the present call invites proposals for the first three-year funding period.
Natural covalent nucleic acid modifications form a new hidden layer of information in the genetic code beyond the classical four letter alphabet. The Priority Programme was established to unravel this code. A network of researchers with backgrounds in chemical biology, structural biology, enzymology and bioinformatics will gain deeper insight into where, how and why native nucleic acid modifications occur and how they influence cellular processes. Prospective participants will address current challenges in detection, localisation, recognition, and function of naturally occurring modifications in RNA and DNA. Modifications as defined in the programme, are specifically introduced to the nucleic acid by cognate enzymes, and do not include chemical lesions, DNA or RNA damages inflicted by light, reactive oxygen species, chemicals, and the like.
Projects to be funded within the frame of the programme need to address scientific questions at the atomic resolution level, using approaches of chemical biology, biochemistry or structural biology in the following areas:
-new concepts for detection of known modifications, or detection of new modifications
-localisation of modifications in the genome, transcriptome, or inside the cell
-target recognition and catalytic turnover of nucleic acids by modification enzymes, and recognition of modified nucleic acids by specific proteins
-biological function and effect of modifications by specific recognition, changes in coding, or nucleic acid structure

Contact:
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
Kennedyallee 40
53175 Bonn
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz,
Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry,
Staudingerweg 5,
55128 Mainz, Germany,
Prof. Dr. Mark Helm,
Phone: +4961313925731,
E-Mail: mhelm@uni-mainz.de

Further Information:
http://www.dfg.de/foerderung/info_wissenschaft/info_wissenschaft_14_44/index.html