Dormancy of cells and organisms -strategies for survival and

preservation

NEST - # 0126742005-2008

Acronym: Sleeping Beauty

Partners

• Esther Lubzens (NIO) Ora Hadas, Assaf Sukenik (KLL) -IOLR –P1

• Joan Cerdà, IRTA, Barcelona, Spain – P2

• Stefan Hohmann, Goteborg University, Sweden – P3

• Melody Clark and Roger Worland, BAS, Cambridge, UK – P4

• Richard Reinhardt, Max Planck Institute –Molecular Genetics, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany – P5

• Jens Nielson, Danish Technical University, Lyngby, Denmark - P6

Objectives

Learning from nature to develop new concepts for cell preservation based on mechanisms with which model organisms tolerate desiccation and/or remain metabolically inactive for long periods

Goals

• Reveal strategies employed by different organisms that facilitate their long term survival in a dormant form

• Widening the basis of our knowledge on the molecular details of strategies employed by 5 model organisms

• Resolve whether these strategies can be used to develop preservation (“ reversible dormancy ”) approaches at ambient temperatures for different cells and organisms

* Emphasis on understanding processes that control the establishment and maintenance of dormant stages and the exit from dormancy

Specific goals

WP 1 & 2 Discover the genes, proteins and compounds that are associated with the formation of dormant forms and exit from it in:

CyanobacteriaYeastRotifers

WP 3. Discerning the processes associated with desiccation as a survival strategy by global gene expression, proteome and metabolome profiling

Arctic springtailkillifish embryos

Specific Goals - Continued

WP 4. Confirming the role of specific genes in tolerance to desiccation or dormancy by genetic analyses and genetic genetic engineering experiments

YeastKillifishRotifers (genetically selected strains)

WP 5. Discovering common and divergent strategies

through synthesis of the genomic, proteomic and metabolomic data of model organisms and of data from other organisms, including plants – in silico models

Specific Goals - Continued

• WP 6. Publicity to stir and encourage new research direction

Scientific publications, scientific meetingsWorkshopBook

• Tools: High through approaches; genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics

Partners• Ora Hadas, Assaf Sukenik (IOLR)- Cyanobacteria

• Joan Cerdà, IRTA, Barcelona, Spain - Killifish

• Stefan Hohmann, Goteborg University, Sweden - yeast

• Melody Clark & Roger Worland, BAS, UK – Arctic sprintail

• Richard Reinhardt, Max Planck Institute –Molecular Genetics, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany – Genomic and proteomic platform

• Jens Nielson, Danish Technical University, Lyngby, Denmark -metabolomic platform

WP Number

TitleLeading partner &Participating partners

Startingmonth

WP0ManagementEsther LubzensM0

WP1 Establishment of dormant stages

Esther Lubzens & Ora Hadas- P3, P5, P6

M0

WP2 Arousal from dormancy

Stefan Hohmann – P1, P5, P6

M0

WP3 Desiccation and revival

Joan Cerdà – P4, P5, P6

M0

WP4Engineering /genetic testing

Joan Cerdà – P1, P3, P5, P6

M15

WP5Common and divergent pathways

Stefan Hohmann & Melody Clark – P1, P2, P5, P6

M0

WP6DisseminationEsther Lubzens –P2, P3, P4, P5, P6

M12

WP1 Dormant stages

P1, P3, P5

WP2 Germination and arousal

from dormant stages P1, P3, P5

WP3 Resistance to desiccation

P2, P4, P5

WP4 Engineering /genetic

testing strategies P1, P2, P3

WP5 Identification of common pathways for dormant stages,

revival/germination and resistance to desiccation P1-P6

WP1 Dormant stages P1, P3, P5, P6

WP2 Germination and arousal

from dormant stages P1, P3, P5, P6

WP3 Resistance to desiccation

P2, P4, P5, P6

Towards novel concepts and methods for cell preservation

WP6 Participation in scientific meetings, organization of a

workshop and publication of a book on dormancy and resistance to dessication

P1-P6

Pert Chart for SLEEPING BEAUTY