Support for the IDP Subgroup Annual Symposium

描述（由申请人提供）：第四届生物物理学会内无序蛋白（IDP）小组年度研讨会将于2010年2月20日在加州州弗朗西斯科的弗朗西斯科会议中心举行。研讨会的主题是体内蛋白质紊乱的调节和利用。该计划的联合主席Elisar Barbar（俄勒冈州州立大学）和Huang-Xiang Zhou（佛罗里达州州立大学）制定了一个杰出的计划，其中包括来自美国，加拿大，英国和以色列的九位特邀演讲者。发言者包括国内流离失所者领域的高级领导人以及在该领域具有重大影响的初级科学家。此外，两名博士后研究获奖者将被选中在研讨会上发言。 蛋白质结构与功能关系的传统观点认为，功能需要一个定义明确的三维（3D）结构。然而，现在很好地理解，许多生物学功能是由高度动态的蛋白质或蛋白质结构域执行的，所述蛋白质或蛋白质结构域在生理条件下孤立地缺乏二级和/或三级结构。这些蛋白质被称为内在无序蛋白（IDP），存在于所有生命界的生物体中，并且在真核生物中最普遍。在哺乳动物中，IDP介导多种细胞过程，包括运动、代谢和生物合成、分裂和基因转录。与国家卫生研究院特别相关的一点是，国内流离失所者与癌症和神经退行性疾病等许多人类疾病有关的比例过高。 传统上用于确定刚性蛋白质结构的工具通常不适合于IDPs的研究，因为它们具有高度动态和无序的性质。然而，允许研究动态蛋白质系综的NMR技术已被调整用于IDP的研究，其他技术如小角X射线散射和单分子技术也是如此。此外，各种各样的计算方法已成为研究国内流离失所者的有力工具。国内流离失所者分组年度研讨会已成为讨论最适合详细研究国内流离失所者问题的方法的主要论坛。 相对于美国的蛋白质结构倡议（Protein Structure Initiative）等项目的产出，无序蛋白质的研究进展缓慢，该项目专注于高度有序（折叠）的蛋白质。这就造成了对成千上万国内流离失所者（人类）的结构和动态特性与调节其生物功能的机制之间关系的知识空白。通过其年度研讨会，国内流离失所者分组寻求发展和扩大对有关国内流离失所者的新知识和表征其结构、动态和生物功能的新技术的认识。对本次研讨会的支持将缩小上述知识差距，并促进每个人改善癌症和其他国内流离失所者相关疾病患者治疗选择的长期目标。 与R13资金请求相关的一个主要目标是为年轻科学家提供支持，以参加IDP分组年度研讨会，包括两名研究生和四名博士后研究人员。IDP分组和生物物理学会鼓励妇女、少数种族/族裔、残疾人和其他传统上在科学领域代表性不足的个人参与。 与公共卫生的关系：国内流离失所者参与了许多人类疾病的发病机制，包括癌症和神经退行性疾病。因此，通过IDP小组年度研讨会的支持，扩大我们对IDP的结构特征和功能机制的了解，将为不同的生物过程提供见解。对国内流离失所者的进一步研究也将推动有关破坏性人类疾病相关分子机制的新发现，并为治疗这些疾病提供新的方向。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The 4th Annual Symposium of the Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) Subgroup of the Biophysical Society will be held February 20, 2010, at the San Francisco Convention Center, San Francisco, California. The theme of the Symposium is Regulation and Utilization of Protein Disorder In Vivo. The program Co-Chairs, Elisar Barbar (Oregon State University) and Huang-Xiang Zhou (Florida State University) have developed an outstanding program, which includes nine invited speakers from the US, Canada, England, and Israel. Speakers include senior leaders in the field of IDPs as well as junior scientists who are having high impact in the field. In addition, two postdoctoral research awardees will be selected to speak at the Symposium. The traditional view of protein structure-function relationships posits a well-defined three-dimensional (3D) structure is required for function. However, it is now well appreciated that many biological functions are performed by highly dynamic proteins or protein domains that, in isolation, lack secondary and/or tertiary structure under physiological conditions. These proteins, termed intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), exist in organisms from all kingdoms of life and are most prevalent in eukaryotes. In mammals, IDPs mediate diverse cellular processes, including motility, metabolism and biosynthesis, division, and gene transcription. A point of special relevance to NIH is that IDPs are overrepresented in association with numerous human diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The tools traditionally used for determination of rigid protein structures are generally unsuitable in studies of IDPs due to their highly dynamic and disordered nature. However, NMR techniques which allow studies of dynamic protein ensembles have been adapted for studies of IDPs, as have other techniques such as small- angle X-ray scattering and single-molecule techniques. In addition, a wide variety of computational methods have emerged as powerful tools in studies of IDPs. The IDP Subgroup Annual Symposium has emerged as a leading forum for discussion of methodologies best suited for detailed studies of IDPs. The pace of studies of disordered proteins has been slow relative to output from projects such as the Protein Structure Initiative in the US, which is focused on highly ordered (folded) proteins. This has created a knowledge gap with respect to relationships between the structural and dynamic properties of thousands of IDPs (in humans) and the mechanisms that mediate their biological functions. Through its Annual Symposium, the IDP Subgroup seeks to develop and broaden awareness of new knowledge related to IDPs and new techniques for the characterization of their structure, dynamics, and biological functions. Support for this Symposium will reduce the knowledge gap noted above and promote everyone's long-range goal of improving treatment options for patients with cancer and other IDP-associated diseases. A major goal associated with this request for R13 funding is to provide support for young scientists to participate in the IDP Subgroup Annual Symposium, including two graduate students and four postdoctoral researchers. The IDP Subgroup and the Biophysical Society encourage participation of women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and other individuals who traditionally have been underrepresented in science. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: IDPs are involved in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, expanding our knowledge of the structural features and functional mechanisms of IDPs through support of the IDP Subgroup Annual Symposium will provide insights into diverse biological processes. Furthering studies of IDPs will also drive new discoveries regarding the molecular mechanisms associated with devastating human diseases and provide new directions for therapeutics to combat these diseases.