2001 CSHL Conference on Eukaryotic mRNA Processing to be held August 22-26, 2001, Cold Spring Harbor New York

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spg Hbr NY

Investigators

Abstract

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Conference "Eukaryotic mRNA Processing", to be held August 22 - 26, 2001, will convene scientists studying various aspects of mRNA processing, transport and turn-over. Major advances have recently been made in these areas, and the conference will be a timely event for discussing the latest unpublished results and exchanging ideas, thereby fostering new developments in this rapidly moving field. The 2001 conference is the third meeting of this conference, which is held every other year at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The most recent meeting was held on August 25-29, 1999, and attracted internationally 277 scientists who are actively investigating various aspects of messenger RNA maturation in eukaryotic cells, using genetic, biochemical, molecular, and cell biological approaches. As in the previous meetings, a major focus will be on nuclear events in mRNA maturation, particularly mRNA splicing and polyadenylation, but the scope will now be expanded to encompass the impact of the history of an mRNA on its ultimate biological fate. The meeting format will consist of seven plenary sessions and three poster sessions. Speakers in the plenary sessions will be selected on the basis of the submitted abstracts, which will encourage active participation by junior scientists. The main topics covered will include catalytic mechanisms of mRNA splicing and 3'-end processing; developmental and cell-type specific regulation of gene expression by alternative splicing and polyadenylation; structure and function of snRNP and hnRNP particles; assembly of the processing machineries; mRNA transport and turnover; and localization and dynamics of RNA processing reactions. A messenger RNA (mRNA) is a molecule that carries the information encoded by a gene in a form that is useable by the cell. Various types of processing of mRNA's enable cells to regulate their use according to the cells' needs. Proper processing of mRNA's is essential for their functioning. This meeting will help disseminate current research findings on this vital topic and will stimulate and facilitate further advances. This award will enable graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and young investigators working in the United States to attend the meeting.