5th ASM Conference on Cell-Cell Communication in Bacteria

描述(由申请人提供)：细菌是单细胞生命的范例，但它们也表现出复杂的协调行为，往往与单细胞特性背道而驰。过去二十年的研究表明，广泛的细菌可以通过不同的机制进行交流。在大多数情况下，这些微生物的对话是通过可扩散信号的交换进行的，尽管也有明显的依赖接触的交流的例子。许多微生物使用这些信号机制来监测和响应种群密度，这一过程通常被描述为群体感应。然而，细菌间的交流并不局限于群体感应机制，越来越多的证据表明，信号可以在一系列不同的能力中发挥作用。微生物之间的交流对宿主的相互作用具有深远的影响，因为病原体和共生体经常通过信号产生和感知来调节与宿主相互作用的关键因素。本申请申请资助由美国微生物学会主办的第五届细菌细胞-细胞通讯会议，会议将于2014年10月18日至21日在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥举行。关于细菌细胞间通讯的研究汇集了不同的科学家，包括微生物学家、结构生物学家、系统和合成生物学家、数学家、化学家、生物化学家和生态学家。此外，对信号机制的关注超越了有机体之间以及“医学”和“非医学”微生物学之间的历史界限。CCCB会议的目标是为在这一快速发展但成熟的研究领域工作的研究人员提供一个独特的论坛，讨论、传播和交流新的信息和想法。会议围绕以下主题安排：信号产生和感知；信号干扰作为一种新的治疗策略；信号在发育中的作用；宿主-病原体相互作用和信号；研究信号的系统方法；信号在共生和互惠中的作用；以及信号的生态学和进化。这次会议的目标是在致力于细菌通讯的美国和国际领先科学家之间充当交流和合成新思想的渠道，培养下一代科学家在这一领域工作，并吸引其他研究人员(特别是系统和合成生物学、微生物发病机制和化学方面的研究人员)进入这一令人兴奋的领域。预计这次会议将刺激和扩大细胞-细胞交流社区，导致杰出的话语和富有成效的新合作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Bacteria are the paradigm for unicellular life, yet they also exhibit elaborate coordinated behaviors that often defy unicellularity. Research over the past two decades has revealed that a wide range of bacteria can communicate by diverse mechanisms. In most cases these microbial conversations occur through the exchange of diffusible signals, although there are also clear examples of contact-dependent communication. Many microbes use these signaling mechanisms to monitor and respond to population density, a process often described as quorum sensing. Interbacterial communication is not however restricted to quorum sensing mechanisms and there is mounting evidence that signaling can function in a range of different capacities. Communication between microorganisms has profound impacts on host interactions, as pathogens and commensals often regulate factors critical for interaction with their hosts via signal production and perception. This application requests financial support for the fifth American Society for Microbiology-sponsored conference on Cell-cell Communication in Bacteria, to be held from October 18 - 21, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. Research on cell-cell communication in bacteria brings together a diversity of scientists, including microbiologists, structural biologists, systems and synthetic biologists, mathematicians, chemists, biochemists, and ecologists. Furthermore, the focus on signaling mechanisms transcends historical boundaries between organisms, and between "medical" and "non-medical" microbiology. The goal of the CCCB conference is to provide a unique forum for the discussion, dissemination and exchange of new information and ideas among researchers working within this rapidly developing, yet mature research area. Sessions are arranged around topics such as: signal generation and perception; signal interference as a novel therapeutic strategy; the role of signaling in development; host-pathogen interactions and signaling; systems approaches to studying signaling; the role of signaling in symbiosis and mutualism; and ecology and evolution of signaling. The goal of this conference is to act as a conduit for the exchange and synthesis of new ideas among leading US and international scientists working on bacterial communication, to foster the next generation of scientists to work in this area, and to attract other researchers (particularly those in systems and synthetic biology, microbial pathogenesis, and chemistry) to this exciting field. It is anticipated that this conference will stimulate and expand the cell-cell communication community, leading to outstanding discourse and productive new collaborations.