2003 Temperature Stress in Plants Gordon Conference, Janury 26 - 30, 2003, Oxnard, California

一个长期存在的基本问题是植物如何感知和应对环境的变化。除了传感和信号外，对调控基因的理解也在迅速发展。对1500个控制植物对寒冷反应的基因中的许多基因的鉴定和表征是非常重要的。许多其他基因在植物的逆境适应中也很重要，并且它们正在快速地被鉴定。热休克反应的研究揭示了意想不到的基本细胞功能，并将蛋白质折叠的研究与几种应激蛋白的功能结合起来。温度应力的生物物理方面现在得到了更好的理解。许多蛋白质保护植物免受低温和冻害。简而言之，植物温度胁迫领域为农业和林业提供了丰富的机会。此时最关键的是将分子、细胞、整个生物体和野外水平的科学家聚集在一起。这将是一个多元化的聚会，包括美国国内外不同学术机构之间的联盟，包括学术和工业科学家的联盟。工业的参与是戈登研究会议的创始原则。2003年戈登植物温度胁迫会议召开的时机再好不过了！

A long standing fundamental question is how plants perceive and respond to changes in their environment. In addition to sensing and signaling, understanding of the regulatory genes is advancing rapidly. Very important has been the identification and characterization of many of the 1,500 of these genes that control plant responses to cold. Many other genes are also important in plant stress adaptation and they are being characterized at a rapid rate. Studies of the heat shock response have uncovered unexpected basic cell functions and united the study of protein folding with the function of several stress proteins. Biophysical aspects of temperature stress are now better understood. A number of proteins protect plants from low temperatures and freezing damage. In short, the field of temperature stress in plants is very rich with opportunities for agriculture and forestry. Most critical at this time is bringing together scientists at molecular, cell, whole organism, and field levels. It will be a diverse gathering and include a union between diverse academic institutions within the USA and internationally including a union of academic and industry scientists. Involvement of industry is a founding principal of the Gordon Research Conferences. The timing of the 2003 Gordon Conference on Temperature Stress in Plants could not be better!