International Symposium on 'Bacterial Expressions'
October 22-25, 2013
National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore
Conveners: Dr. Aswin Sai Narain Seshasayee, NCBS; Dr. Sandeep Krishna, NCBS; Dr. Deepa Agashe, NCBS
Bacteria, besides being agents of infectious disease, are the predominant form of free-living life on Earth. Some bacteria live in stable environments, such as in a symbiotic relationship with a host; others can live across multiple habitats each presenting its own set of nutrients and adversaries. This leads to the following:
1. Any bacterium should code for only those genes that would allow it to make optimal use of the conditions prevailing in its set of habitats.
2. Regulation is critical especially to organisms that traverse multiple types of habitats, to ensure that only those genes required at any given time point are expressed.
Recent studies have indicated that regulation of gene expression at the level of transcription is complex even in relatively simple bacteria. This involves a variety of players operating at distinct levels.
The DNA sequence itself is a determinant of gene expression. Over very short time-scales, this is static and does not always allow dynamic responses to changing conditions; however, the local and the global structure of the chromosome is dynamic and can respond to perturbations and affect DNA transactions including replication and transcription. On top of this are a group of global transcription factors and nucleoid-associated proteins, which affect the expression of large numbers of genes in diverse ways. Numerous small RNAs have also been implicated in bacterial stress responses and virulence. Further, the activity of each of these players is regulated by metabolites and small signaling molecules.
This meeting brings together internationally recognized scientists whose continuing contributions have advanced the field of bacterial molecular biology to a great extent. These scientists represent the employment of a wide variety of physical, mathematical, biochemical and genetic methods towards understanding gene expression in bacteria.
Sponsors:
LADY TATA MEMORIAL TRUST