Ribosome Emergence: role of CHARGE, sequence, and structure of nucleic acids and peptides in phase behaviour and activity (RECHARGE)

Leading university:		University of Milan
Project leader:		Assoc. Prof. Giuliano Zanchetta
Contact:
Flagship:		Flagship 4: Environmental transitions
Participating universities:		Charles University, Sorbonne University, University of Geneva, University of Milan

The RECHARGE project aims to expand our understanding of the physical and chemical principles that contribute to the formation of protein-RNA interactions and the ancestral ribosome. This project will enhance interdisciplinary research and teaching in the prebiotic field. The objectives of the RECHARGE project include investigating the role of charge, sequence composition, and patterns of nucleic acids and peptides in forming stable complexes, phase-separated liquid droplets, or insoluble aggregates. Additionally, the project will explore binding and phase separation in the presence of prebiotically plausible, negatively charged amino acids and metal ions. Another important aspect of this project is to promote interdisciplinary training for students and early-stage researchers on prebiotic topics. To achieve these goals, the RECHARGE project will support research stays of Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) in partner universities to conduct experiments and learn computational methods. It will also facilitate mobility opportunities for researchers to discuss preliminary data and collaborate on joint proposals for larger funding calls. Furthermore, the project will support interdisciplinary teaching exchanges at the Master's and PhD levels.