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Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms

Gordon Research Conference

Microbial Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Key Roles in Complex Environments

January 21 - 26, 2024

Chair

Vice Chair

Ventura Beach Marriott

2055 Harbor Boulevard

Ventura, California, United States

Venue and Travel Information

Conference Description

The Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

Related Meeting

This GRC will be held in conjunction with the "Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms" Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). Those interested in attending both meetings must submit an application for the GRS in addition to an application for the GRC. Refer to the associated GRS program page for more information.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	Diversity in Bacterial Motility Function and Regulation Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm	General Discussion
7:45 pm - 8:00 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
8:00 pm - 8:20 pm	"The Helicobacter Pylori Flagellar Cage is Formed by Type IV Pili Alignment Complex Proteins That Confer New Regulatory Abilities on Motility"
8:20 pm - 8:25 pm	Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:45 pm	"Using Cryo-EM to Understand the Evolution of Pili and Flagella"
8:45 pm - 8:50 pm	Discussion
8:50 pm - 9:10 pm	"Regulation of Swimming and Swarming Motility in Azospirillum Brasilense by Alternative Sigma Factors and STAS-Domain Proteins"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"Characterization Of Cytoskeletal Proteins, Fibril and MreB from Spiroplasma Citri"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Molecular Mechanisms in Two-Component Signaling Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Conformational Signaling in Chemoreceptors"
9:35 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 10:00 am	"Enhancing Signal Integration by Leveraging Phosphoryl Transfer Directionality"
10:00 am - 10:05 am	Discussion
10:05 am - 10:15 am	"Mechanistic Insights Into The Function Of Fungal His-Phosphotransfer Proteins"
10:15 am - 10:20 am	Discussion
10:20 am - 10:45 am	Coffee Break
10:45 am - 11:05 am	"A Conserved Mechanism Regulates DNA-Binding Activities of Hybrid Two-Component Systems in Bacteroides"
11:05 am - 11:10 am	Discussion
11:10 am - 11:30 am	"A General Mechanism for Activation of the General Stress Response"
11:30 am - 11:35 am	Discussion
11:35 am - 11:55 am	"Microbial Rhodopsins: Diversity, Mechanisms, and Optogenetics Applications"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"The Inhibitory Mechanism Of A Small Protein Reveals Its Role In Antimicrobial Peptide Sensing"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Circadian Gene Expression In Vitro"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm	The GRC Power Hour™ The GRC Power Hour™ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring. Organizer:
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Coordinating Cellular Events Through Bacterial Communication Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:50 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:50 pm - 8:10 pm	"Integrative Structure of the Legionella Type IV Secretion System"
8:10 pm - 8:15 pm	Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:35 pm	"Mechanisms of Subcellular Organization in Acinetobacter"
8:35 pm - 8:40 pm	Discussion
8:40 pm - 9:00 pm	"It’s All About Communication: How Bacteria Coordinate Their Life Cycles"
9:00 pm - 9:05 pm	Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:25 pm	"Hair Trigger: Biophysical Characterization Of The T6SS Membrane Damage Sensor of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Function and Evolution of Sensory Domains in Microorganisms Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Towards A Large-Scale Functional Classification of Bacterial Sensory Domains"
9:35 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 10:00 am	"Sensory Domains of C-Di-GMP and C-Di-AMP Synthases"
10:00 am - 10:05 am	Discussion
10:05 am - 10:15 am	"Single Particle Cryo-EM Of Chemotaxis Core Signaling Units"
10:15 am - 10:20 am	Discussion
10:20 am - 10:45 am	Coffee Break
10:45 am - 11:05 am	"Discovery of Divergent Activity in Cyclic Dinucleotide Signaling"
11:05 am - 11:10 am	Discussion
11:10 am - 11:30 am	"Chemosensing in the Phytopathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum"
11:30 am - 11:35 am	Discussion
11:35 am - 11:55 am	"Chemotaxis of Phytophthora Zoospores Towards Host Roots"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"Sensory Adaptation Is Spatially Restricted In A Bacterial Mechanosensory System"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Regulating The Sugar Factory: Investigating How Hybrid Two-Component Systems In Gut Bacteria Regulate Complex Polysaccharide Breakdown"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Regulation of Microbial Motility by Environmental Signals Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"Social Dynamics in Swarming Colonies"
8:05 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:30 pm	"Environment-Dependent Adaptation of Phenotypic Diversity by Collective Behavior"
8:30 pm - 8:35 pm	Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm	"Bacterial Economics: Conditional Strategies of Resource Investment in Motility"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm	Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm	"Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of The Proton Motive Force On Single Bacterial Cells"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"In-Situ Structural Basis Of Flagellar-Based Motility"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Metabolic Signaling in Microbial Communities Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Metabolic Interactions in Microbial Communities"
9:35 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 10:00 am	"Mapping Metabolites Across Biofilms"
10:00 am - 10:05 am	Discussion
10:05 am - 10:15 am	"Phages Commandeer Bacterial Metabolism Through Two-Component Systems"
10:15 am - 10:20 am	Discussion
10:20 am - 10:45 am	Coffee Break
10:45 am - 11:05 am	"Structural Studies of the Extracellular Matrix of Bacterial Biofilms"
11:05 am - 11:10 am	Discussion
11:10 am - 11:30 am	"Mechanisms Integrating Bacterial Chemotaxis with Metabolism"
11:30 am - 11:35 am	Discussion
11:35 am - 11:55 am	"Perturbation of Sensory Transduction in Soil Diazotrophs to Replace Synthetic Fertilizer for Cereal Crops"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"Defining Mechanisms Of Fungal-Bacterial Interactions During Infection"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Spatial Heterogeneity Of Matrix Production In V. Cholerae Biofilms"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Intracellular Signaling Mediated Through Secondary Messengers Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"Small-Molecule Crosstalk Blocks Cell-Cycle Transition"
8:05 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:30 pm	"Loss Is Not A Bad Thing: Lessons from Flagellar Evolution in Actinobacteria"
8:30 pm - 8:35 pm	Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm	"C-di-GMP Modulation of Type IV Pilus Chemotaxis in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm	Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm	"Investigating Bacterial 2’,3’-Cyclic Nucleotide Monophosphate Signaling"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"A Diguanylate Cyclase-Phosphodiesterase Pair Interacts With PelD To Regulate Pel-Dependent Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Signaling Mechanisms During Bacterial Stress Responses Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Using Copper Toxicity to Exploit A Microbial Achilles Heel"
9:35 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 10:00 am	"Monitoring and Managing Mechanical Tension in the Bacteria Cell Envelope"
10:00 am - 10:05 am	Discussion
10:05 am - 10:15 am	"Structural Basis for Regulation of RpoS Turnover by Phosphorylation and ClpXP Anti-Adaptors"
10:15 am - 10:20 am	Discussion
10:20 am - 10:45 am	Coffee Break
10:45 am - 11:05 am	"The Role of Phenotypic Variation in Pathogen Fitness"
11:05 am - 11:10 am	Discussion
11:10 am - 11:30 am	"Discovery of the Transcriptional Factor FevR, Involved in Improving Folding in the Periplasm of Escherichia Coli"
11:30 am - 11:35 am	Discussion
11:35 am - 11:55 am	"Determining High-Resolution Genomic Structures Associated with Salmonella Lifestyles"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"Envelope Stress Responses Functionally Coordinate To Maintain Cell Homeostasis In Escherichia Coli"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Shear Rate Sensitizes Bacterial Pathogens To H2O2 Stress"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Sensing During Bacterial and Viral Defense Responses Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	Alexander M. Cruickshank Lecture: "How Do Bacteria Sense and Respond to Phage Infection?"
8:05 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:30 pm	"Numerous Defense Systems of Current Pandemic Vibrio Cholerae"
8:30 pm - 8:35 pm	Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm	"5:2 Membrane Molecular Motors – From Bacterial Motility to Anti-Bacteriophage Defense Systems"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm	Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm	"Bacterial Chemoattraction To Reactive Electrophilic Species (RES) Of The Neutrophil Oxidative Burst"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"Molecular Evidence For Quorum Sensing In Phage Within Wastewater Treatment Systems"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure

Contributors

Gerald Hazelbauer

Ann West

This material is based upon work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA9550-24-1-0006. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Air Force.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R13AI181372. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Conference Links

Conference History Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms (GRS)

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