2014 Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating Gordon Research Conference

描述(申请人提供)：配基识别和分子门控戈登研究会议将于2014年3月23日至3月28日在加利福尼亚州文图拉举行。会议旨在分享有关离子通道、G蛋白偶联受体和溶质转运体作用机制的最新知识。具体地说，会议的目标是增加我们对完整的膜蛋白如何结合或识别配体(离子、小分子、蛋白质)，以及结合如何引起构象变化从而导致配体跨膜运输、通道门控或信号传递的理解。重点是将高分辨率结构数据与功能和动力学信息相结合，以了解机制。这次会议是及时的，因为膜蛋白的新的高分辨率结构正在以越来越快的速度得到解决。此外，正在开发研究受体、通道和转运体动力学的新方法，并改变我们理解功能机制的方式。这次会议涉及的领域与人类健康高度相关：在许多其他过程中，通道、转运体和GPCRs是神经系统中细胞信号传递的最基本的分子底物。了解这些蛋白质的基本机制将有助于更好地了解正常功能、癫痫、高血压、吸收不良综合征、囊性纤维化等疾病，并开发新的和改进的治疗药物。这次会议聚集了那些因为研究三种不同类别的膜蛋白而不是经常见面的科学家。然而，它们从相互作用中受益匪浅，因为这些蛋白质共享共同的机械原理。该项目将有大约40名演讲者，他们是膜蛋白研究和方法开发领域的知名领导者，以及有前途的年轻研究人员。九场会议将讨论膜转运体、离子通道、GPCRs以及特定的线粒体和细菌功能的结构、动力学和机制。关于配基识别和分子门控的戈登研究会议将通过聚集这个社区的一些最顶尖的科学家来展示和比较结果，讨论新的想法，并建立合作，从而促进膜蛋白研究领域的进步。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Gordon Research Conference on Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating will be held from March 23 to March 28, 2014, in Ventura, CA. The conference aims to share the latest knowledge on the functional mechanisms of ion channels; G-protein coupled receptors, and solute transporters. Specifically, the goal of the conference is to increase our understanding of how integral membrane proteins bind or recognize ligands (ions, small molecules, proteins), and how binding elicits conformational changes that lead to transport of the ligands across the membrane, the gating of channels, or the transmission of signals. There will be an emphasis on combining high-resolution structural data with functional and dynamical information to understand mechanisms. The conference is timely because new high-resolution structures of membrane proteins are solved at increasingly rapid pace. In addition, new methods to study the dynamics of the receptors, channels and transporters are being developed and transform the way we understand functional mechanisms. The fields covered in this conference are highly related to human health: channels, transporters and GPCRs are the most fundamental molecular substrates of cellular signaling in the nervous system, among a host of other processes. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of these proteins will lead to better understanding of normal function, of diseases like epilepsy, hypertension, malabsorption syndromes, cystic fibrosis, and to development of new and improved therapeutic agents. The conference brings together scientists who do not consistently meet because they work on three different classes of membrane proteins. However, they benefit tremendously from interacting because the proteins share common mechanistic principles. The program will have about 40 speakers, well-established leaders in the field of membrane protein research and method development as well as promising young investigators. Nine sessions will address structure, dynamics and mechanism of membrane transporters, ion channels, GPCRs, and specific mitochondrial and bacterial functions. The Gordon Research Conference on Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating will stimulate advances in this area of membrane protein research by bringing together some of the foremost scientists in this community to present and compare results, discuss new ideas, and establish collaborations.