FASEB SRC on Dynamic DNA Structures in Biology

该提案要求为FASEB动态DNA夏季研究会议提供部分支持 生物学结构，将于2018年7月15日至20日在纽约州奥利安举行。 在DNA被发现后的几十年里，人们一直认为它是一种刚性的右旋双螺旋结构。是 然而，现在认识到，DNA是高度动态的分子，可以呈现出巨大的多样性 如十字形，左手螺旋，三股和四股螺旋，和滑- 搁浅的配置。在基因组DNA中过度表达的重复DNA序列， 特别容易发生这种结构性转变。双螺旋的瞬时变性， 发生在大多数DNA交易（转录，复制和重组）也促进 DNA结构的动态变化。细胞环境也可以影响结构的形成。 研究已经证实，结构倾向的DNA序列是正常功能的核心， 基因组DNA结构中的转变对于调节转录的激活和 负责免疫球蛋白类别转换的专门重组。不定期的转移， 然而，可能会产生病理后果。结构倾向重复序列的扩展是 超过30种人类遗传性神经和发育疾病和动态DNA 结构与在许多人类癌症中观察到的基因组重排相关。 本次会议的长期目标是加强我们对动态DNA如何 结构的形成，它们如何促进正常的遗传过程，以及它们如何促进病理性 结果，如遗传疾病，癌症和衰老。我们的目标是探索DNA结构 转换，以确定新的机制，促进动态DNA的形成和解决 结构，以促进合作，并促进这一重要领域的长期发展， 促进青年科学家的参与。为此，我们将召集约100名与会者， 紧张和高度互动的科学天。该计划将包括两个开幕式主题演讲， 8个上午/晚上的科学会议和下午的非正式海报会议。今年新将是 关于基因组编辑的会议此外，另一个新的特点将是涉及早期职业科学家 在规划和内容的“满足发言者”和职业研讨会上的讨论。 三分之一的讲座将从提交的摘要中选出，优先考虑学员， 初级调查员对于许多学员来说，这将是第一次有机会在一个科学的演讲， 会议本会议的重要性和力量在于，它独特地汇集了 研究人员共同关注动态DNA转换，但他们有着高度不同的 背景、专业知识和实验方法。

This proposal requests partial support for the FASEB Summer Research Conference on Dynamic DNA Structures in Biology, which will be held July 15-20, 2018, in Olean, NY. For decades after its discovery, DNA was believed to be a rigid, right-handed double helix. It is now appreciated, however, that DNA is highly dynamic molecule and can assume an enormous variety of conformations such as cruciforms, left-handed helices, three- and four-stranded helices, and slip- stranded configurations. Repetitive DNA sequences, which are overrepresented in genomic DNA, are particularly prone to such structural transitions. The transient denaturation of the double helix that occurs during most DNA transactions (transcription, replication and recombination) also promotes dynamic transitions in DNA structure. The cellular environment can also influence structure formation. Studies have confirmed that structure-prone DNA sequences are central to the normal functioning of the genome. Transitions in DNA structure are important for regulating the activation of transcription and the specialized recombination responsible for immunoglobulin class switching. Unscheduled transitions, however, can have pathological consequences. The expansion of structure-prone repeats underlies more than thirty hereditary neurological and developmental diseases in humans and dynamic DNA structures are associated with genome rearrangements observed in many human cancers. The long-term objective of this Conference is to enhance our understanding of how dynamic DNA structures form, how they contribute to normal genetic processes and how they promote pathological outcomes such as genetic disease, cancer and aging. Our aims are to explore DNA structural transitions, to define novel mechanisms that promote formation and resolution of dynamic DNA structures, to stimulate collaborations, and to foster the long-term development of this important area by promoting participation of junior scientists. To that end, we will convene ~100 participants for five intense and highly interactive days of science. The program will include two opening keynote talks, eight morning/evening scientific sessions and informal afternoon poster sessions. New this year will be a session on genome editing. In addition, another new feature will be to involve early career scientists in the planning and content of “meet the speaker” and career workshop discussions at the conference. One third of the talks will be chosen from submitted abstracts, with preference given to trainees and junior investigators. For many trainees, this will be the first opportunity to give a talk at a scientific meeting. The significance and strength of this Conference is that it uniquely brings together investigators with a common focus on dynamic DNA transitions, but who have highly varied backgrounds, expertise and experimental approaches.