2002 Gordon Research Conf. on Intermediate Filaments

描述(由申请人提供)： 这项申请的目的是为第七届戈登中长丝研究会议的与会者筹集旅费、注册和住宿费用，该会议将于2002年6月30日至7月5日在罗德岛州布里斯托尔的罗杰·威廉姆斯大学举行。在高等真核生物中，中间丝是细胞骨架和核骨架的重要组成部分。在人类基因组的公开草稿中，有超过67个编码IF形成多肽的功能基因。这些基因通常以特定细胞类型的方式进行调控，并且在哺乳动物基因组中高度保守。IF聚合物的一般功能是赋予细胞和组织所需的机械弹性，以承受各种类型的物理和非物理压力。IF蛋白的缺陷是大量遗传决定的脆性疾病的基础，涉及上皮(例如，皮肤、口腔和眼睛起泡疾病；炎症性肠道疾病；肝病)、肌肉(例如，心肌病；肌肉营养不良症)、神经组织(例如，肌萎缩侧索硬化症；亚历山大病)，甚至脂肪组织(例如，脂肪营养不良症)。IF以一种分化和上下文依赖的方式完成其他功能，包括促进特定的细胞结构、组织对损伤和其他形式的应激的反应、对凋亡信号的反应、信号以及核结构和基因表达(层粘连蛋白)。 这次戈登研究会议(GRC)据说是唯一一次专门研究IF生物学的定期会议。它汇集了来自世界各地的初级和高级参与者，他们从各种不同的角度研究信息社会。这个GRC传统上促进了新想法、工具和试剂的自由流动交流，并促进了富有成效的合作的建立。2002年版会议的方案已经最后敲定。主要内容包括：1)IF的原子结构：从模型到现实；2)调节IF在体内的组装和动力学；3)IF与细胞和组织力学；4)IF相关的细胞连接蛋白：机械整合和其他功能；4)IF在线虫、肌肉和神经元中的功能；5)角蛋白在上皮细胞中的功能：超越支架？；6)板病、层功能和核膜。此外，还将举行一次特别的“展望”会议和一次专门讨论海报的平台会议。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this application is to generate funds to support travel, registration, and lodging for participants in the 7th Gordon Research Conference on Intermediate Filaments, which will be held June 30th-July 5th 2002 at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. Intermediate filaments (IFs) are prominent components of the cytoskeleton and nuclecoskeleton in higher eukaryotes. In the public draft of the human genome, there are greater than 67 functional genes encoding IF-forming polypeptides. These genes are typically regulated in a cell type-specific manner and highly conserved in mammalian genomes. A general function of IF polymers is to endow cells and tissues with the mechanical resilience they need to withstand various types of physical and non-physical stresses. Defects in IF proteins underlie a vast number of genetically determined fragility disorders involving epithelia (e.g., skin, oral, and eye blistering diseases; inflammatory bowel diseases; liver disorders), muscle (e.g., cardiomyopathies; muscular dystrophy), neural tissue (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Alexander's diseases), and even adipose tissue (e.g., lipodystrophy). IFs fulfill other functions in a differentiation and context-dependent fashion, including promoting specific cytoarchitecture, tissue response to injury and other forms of stress, response to apoptotic signals, signaling, and nuclear architecture and gene expression (lamins). This Gordon Research Conference (GRC) is said to represent the only regular meeting devoted to IF biology. It brings together participants of junior and senior rank from all over the world who are studying IFs from a wide variety of angles. This GRC has traditionally fostered a free-flowing exchange of novel ideas, tools, and reagents, and facilitated the establishment of productive collaborations. The Program for the 2002 edition of the Conference has been finalized. The following major themes will be covered: 1) Atomic structure of IFs: From models to reality; 2) Regulating IF assembly and dynamics in vivo; 3) IFs and cell and tissue mechanics; 4) IF-associated cytolinkers: Mechanical integration and other functions; 4) Function of IFs in C. elegans, in muscle and neurons; 5) Functions of keratins in epithelia: Beyond scaffolding?; and 6) Laminopathies, lamin functions, and the nuclear envelope. In addition, there will be a special "Perspectives" session and a platform session dedicated to the discussion of posters.