Conference: Biological Consequences of Alternatively Structured DNA to be held in Steamboat Springs, CO on July 5th, 2010

细胞中的DNA分子通常符合通常所说的“螺旋阶梯”式双螺旋结构，这种结构被称为“B型”DNA。然而，DNA可以瞬间呈现出各种其他形状，这可能会对细胞和生物体产生有害的后果。非B型结构在很大程度上是在未知的情况下被激发的，并且由于其特征的不稳定性，很难被检测到。在某些情况下，只有在观察到大规模的基因组变化之后，才会怀疑替代DNA结构的破坏性影响。在细胞中研究另一种结构的DNA是如此难以逾越的障碍，以至于直到今天我们仍然缺乏基本的知识。因此，替代DNA结构可能影响衰老过程或产生遗传缺陷的方式几乎没有引起实验关注。这可能很难理解，因为在分离(细胞外)分析替代DNA结构是一个发展良好的领域，在纳米工程和医学中的创造性应用正在被大力追求。这次会议联合了来自不同科学领域的研究人员--如物理学、医学和分子生物学--他们对另一种结构的DNA有共同的兴趣。因此，“选择性结构DNA的生物学影响”会议为协同提供了一个独特的机会，将不同学科的问题、方法和应用聚集在一起，以产生对非B型DNA生物学的基本见解。“选择性结构DNA的生物学影响”将于2010年7月5日开始，为期五天。会议于2008年首次举行。和现在一样，当时的一个主要目标是发挥教育作用。之前的会议似乎有效地凝聚了科学家的兴趣，并在一份备受瞩目的期刊上进行了总结。关于非B型DNA，特别是其体内效应的文章越来越多，这表明这一专题正在发挥作用，这次会议特别及时。一些长期存在的技术问题正在得到解决，被忽视的科学问题终于开始得到解决。值得注意的是，与人类疾病有关的非规范DNA结构的证据继续积累。2010年的会议强调了新的见解和令人振奋的研究，将继续向科学界表明，在这一领域还有一些有趣的基础性发现有待取得。年轻的研究人员被鼓励申请，并对整个会议致力于非B DNA结构的生物学影响的事实印象深刻。会议将向感兴趣的早期职业科学家证明，在被忽视的DNA新陈代谢领域工作是有效的，致力于这一领域的研究将是有益的。最终，通过这样的会议促进的基本发现可以转化为诊断、改善和治疗疾病的创造性策略。

DNA molecules in a cell usually conform to the popularly described "spiral staircase" double helix structure, which is called "B-form" DNA. However DNA can transiently assume a variety of other shapes that can have deleterious consequences for cells and organisms. Non-B form structures are provoked in largely unknown situations and due to their characteristic instability, are difficult to detect. In some cases, the destructive effects of an alternative DNA structure are suspected only after the fact, when a large-scale genomic change is observed. Barriers to the study of alternatively structured DNA in cells have been so impenetrable that to the present day we lack basic knowledge. Consequently the ways in which alternative DNA structures might influence the aging process or produce genetically inherited defects has attracted little experimental attention. This can be hard to appreciate because the analysis of alternative DNA structures in isolation (outside of a cell) is a well-developed field where creative applications in nano-engineering and medicine are being energetically pursued. The meeting unites researchers from diverse areas of science -such as physics, medicine and molecular biology- who share an interest in alternatively structured DNA. "The Biological Impact of Alternatively Structured DNA" conference thus provides a unique opportunity for synergism, bringing together the questions, methods, and applications of different disciplines to generate fundamental insights into the biology of non-B form DNA."Biological Impact of Alternatively Structured DNA" will take place over a five-day period starting on July 5th, 2010. The meeting was first held in 2008. Then as now, a major goal was to fulfill an educational role. The previous conference seemed to be effective in coalescing interest among scientists and was summarized in a high-profile journal. An increasing number of articles have appeared on the subject of non-B form DNA, and particularly its in vivo effects, which suggests that this topic is coming into its own, and the Conference is especially timely. Some long-standing technical problems are being tackled, and overlooked scientific questions are at long last beginning to be addressed. Significantly, evidence continues to accumulate of non-canonical DNA structures that are involved in human diseases. The 2010 meeting, by highlighting new insights and exciting research, will continue to demonstrate to the scientific community that there are interesting fundamental discoveries yet to be made in this area. Younger investigators have been encouraged to apply, and are impressed by the fact that an entire meeting is dedicated to the biological implications of non-B DNA structures. The conference will demonstrate to the interested early-career scientist that working on a neglected area of DNA metabolism is valid and that a commitment to this area of reasearch will be rewarding. Ultimately basic discoveries fostered by conferences such as this can translate into inventive strategies for diagnoses, amelioration and treatment of disease.