Conference: Plant Genome Stability and Change

DNA的稳定性使生物体得以生存和繁殖，但基因组的变化为物种进化提供了一种手段，以应对不断变化的环境。植物育种一直依赖于DNA的变化来产生开发新品种所需的遗传变异。基因组中的一些变化在正常的种子发育过程中以受控的方式发生，但这也可能在暴露于过度的光、臭氧和紫外线后DNA损伤后发生。植物基因组的生物技术操作使我们能够在植物中诱导可控的基因组变化，为分子设计植物育种提供了巨大的潜力。80多个实验室在这一领域的研究继续迅速扩大对植物如何应对环境和内源威胁其生长、发育和基因组稳定性的理解，推进植物基因靶向和定点诱变的长期目标，并开发加速植物育种的技术。在修复和重组方面受过培训和经验的个人，已经进入工厂模型，创造了一个充满活力和生产力的新学科。该提案旨在资助10名年轻科学家参加定于2014年7月17日至20日在加利福尼亚州太平洋格罗夫的Asilomar会议中心举行的关于植物基因组稳定性和变化的会议。会议计划将一个由从事或对DNA修复和表观遗传学领域感兴趣的高级和初级研究人员、博士后和研究生组成的国际小组聚集在一起，并通过演讲和海报让他们接触到前沿科学。预计会议地点还将促进包括所有与会者在内的热烈和广泛的讨论，无论是在会谈后还是在更非正式的场合。组织者计划最大限度地鼓励妇女和代表性不足的少数民族的参与。

The stability of DNA allows an organism to live and reproduce, but changes in the genome provide a means for the evolution of a species in response to a changing environment. Plant breeding has always relied on changes in DNA for generating the genetic variation needed to develop new varieties. Some of these changes in the genome occur in a controlled manner during normal seed development, but this can also occur following DNA damage after exposure to excessive light, ozone and UV. Biotechnological manipulation of the plant genome has allowed us to induce controlled genomic changes in plants, providing a huge potential for molecularly designed plant breeding. Research by the more than 80 laboratories in this field continues to rapidly expand the understanding of how plants deal with environmental and endogenous threats to their growth, development, and genomic stability, to advance the long-standing goals of gene targeting and site-directed mutagenesis of plants, and to develop technologies for the acceleration of plant breeding. Individuals with previous training and experience in repair and recombination, who have moved into plant models, have created a dynamic and productive new discipline.This proposal is to help support travel for 10 young scientists to attend a conference on Plant Genome Stability and Change is scheduled for July 17-20, 2014 at the Asilomar Conference Center, in Pacific Grove, California. The meeting plans to bring together an international group of senior and junior investigators, postdocs and graduate students working in or interested in the area of DNA repair and epigenetics and expose them to cutting-edge science via talks and posters. The meeting venue is also expected to promote lively and wide-ranging discussions that include all attendees, after talks and in more informal settings. The organizers plan to encourage, to the fullest extent possible, participation by women and underrepresented minorities.