Sep 2010
International Meeting on Hh-Gli Signalling
June 23 - 25, 2011 1st HEALING International Meeting on Hh-Gli Signalling in Development
Kolymbari, Crete, Greece Further information
The goal is to bring together a diverse group of scientists studying various aspects of Hegdehog-Gli signalling. Highlights on regeneration, healing, stem cells and cancer in humans and multiple systems including mice and flies will be presented. This meeting is part of an ITN EU-funded network.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books
Kolymbari, Crete, Greece Further information
The goal is to bring together a diverse group of scientists studying various aspects of Hegdehog-Gli signalling. Highlights on regeneration, healing, stem cells and cancer in humans and multiple systems including mice and flies will be presented. This meeting is part of an ITN EU-funded network.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books
Conference Alert: Biochemical Society
Category: Biochemical Society Conferences
March 20 - 22, 2011 The molecular biology of inflammatory bowel diseases
Durham, UK Further information
Biochemical Society Conference. Significant new advances have been made recently in the understanding of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathology at the molecular biology level. This Biochemical Society Focused Meeting has been planned to cover some of the major issues currently being considered. Topics that have been selected relate to; the identification of IBD susceptibility genes and disease markers; innate and adaptive immune systems in IBD pathogenesis; the function of the epithelial protective barrier; interactions of the enteric bacterial flora with the human host leading to normal and pathological regulation of the immune system and links with nutrition and probiotics and finally the value of mouse models of ulcerative colitis in examining molecular disease mechanisms.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books Bifidobacteria: Genomics and Molecular Aspects Lactobacillus: From Genomics to Probiotics
Durham, UK Further information
Biochemical Society Conference. Significant new advances have been made recently in the understanding of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathology at the molecular biology level. This Biochemical Society Focused Meeting has been planned to cover some of the major issues currently being considered. Topics that have been selected relate to; the identification of IBD susceptibility genes and disease markers; innate and adaptive immune systems in IBD pathogenesis; the function of the epithelial protective barrier; interactions of the enteric bacterial flora with the human host leading to normal and pathological regulation of the immune system and links with nutrition and probiotics and finally the value of mouse models of ulcerative colitis in examining molecular disease mechanisms.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books Bifidobacteria: Genomics and Molecular Aspects Lactobacillus: From Genomics to Probiotics
April 18 - 19, 2011 Analysis of free radicals, radical modifications and redox signalling
Birmingham, UK Further information
Biochemical Society Conference. Redox signalling via reversible modifications of protein thiols and bioactivity of oxidized lipids are topical fields that underpin understanding of physiological and disease processes. This meeting will focus on state-of-the-art methodology for measuring cellular levels of free radicals and analysing biomolecule oxidation, including discussion of the applications and limitations.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books
January 10 - 12, 2012 Frontiers in Biological Catalysis
Cambridge, UK Further information
Annual Symposium of the Biochemical Society. The symposium places great emphasis on the role of catalysis in key biological processes, ranging from signalling, apoptosis, respiration and photosynthesis, to antibiotic synthesis and related secondary metabolism. The meeting will seek to emphasise the detailed/unique information emerging from reductionist approaches, and how to integrate with high-throughput approaches characteristic of the systems biology era. Reductionist approaches are particularly powerful when applied in a multidisciplinary setting, and there is the need to transcend the inherent limits of individual disciplines (e.g. crystallography, molecular modelling) to provide state-of-the-art dynamic insight into enzyme function.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books
Phylogeny book review
Category: Book Review
I am pleased to provide the following excerpt from a book review of Molecular Phylogeny of Microorganisms:
"Molecular phylogeny, the analysis of gene or protein sequences to unravel the relatedness among microorganisms, plays an important role in microbial taxonomy. One of the most exciting developments in this respect was the discovery of the two domains, Bacteria and Archaea, by Carl Woese in the 1970th. The present book, Molecular Phylogeny of Microorganisms, edited by Aharon Ohren and R. Thane Papke, describes very nicely the different approaches to apply molecular phylogeny, encountering the difficulties with the present phylogenomic species concept. This book ... addresses the most interesting issues in relation to molecular phylogeny ... Anyone, who is interested in microbial phylogeny, surely will enjoy reading this book. The hardcover, format and contents of the book make it a pleasure to read." from Mareike Viebahn (Centocor BV, Leiden, The Netherlands) writing in Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. read more ...
"Molecular phylogeny, the analysis of gene or protein sequences to unravel the relatedness among microorganisms, plays an important role in microbial taxonomy. One of the most exciting developments in this respect was the discovery of the two domains, Bacteria and Archaea, by Carl Woese in the 1970th. The present book, Molecular Phylogeny of Microorganisms, edited by Aharon Ohren and R. Thane Papke, describes very nicely the different approaches to apply molecular phylogeny, encountering the difficulties with the present phylogenomic species concept. This book ... addresses the most interesting issues in relation to molecular phylogeny ... Anyone, who is interested in microbial phylogeny, surely will enjoy reading this book. The hardcover, format and contents of the book make it a pleasure to read." from Mareike Viebahn (Centocor BV, Leiden, The Netherlands) writing in Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. read more ...
 | Edited by: Aharon Oren and R. Thane Papke "a pleasure to read" (Curr. Issues Mol. Biol.)ISBN: 978-1-904455-67-7 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: July 2010 Cover: hardback |
Clavulanic Acid and Clavams
Category: Biotechnology
Clavulanic Acid and Clavams Biosynthesis and Regulation
from Paloma Liras, Irene Santamarta and Rosario Pérez-Redondo writing in Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology:
The (3R,5R) clavulanic acid and (3S,5S) clavam molecules share a structure formed by a four member β-lactam and a five member oxaxolidine ring and have several initial common steps in their biosynthesis pathways. The precursors of the molecules are glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and arginine, condensed by the carboxyethylarginine synthetase (CeaS). The next steps in the pathway occur by the subsequent action of the β-lactam synthase (Bls) forming the β-lactam ring, a proclavaminic acid guanidine hydrolase (PAH) and the clavaminate synthase (Csa2), which forms the two rings clavam structure of clavaminic acid. Modifications of this compound result in late step intermediates for clavulanic acid biosynthesis, N-glycylclavaminic acid or clavaldehyde, and in the clavams structures. In addition to the clavulanic acid gene cluster, two additional clusters containing paralogous genes for clavulanic acid biosynthesis and clavam biosynthesis have been located in S. clavuligerus. Biochemical characterization of the clavam non producer mutants will clarify the biosynthetic pathway of these compounds.
Further reading: Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
from Paloma Liras, Irene Santamarta and Rosario Pérez-Redondo writing in Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology:
The (3R,5R) clavulanic acid and (3S,5S) clavam molecules share a structure formed by a four member β-lactam and a five member oxaxolidine ring and have several initial common steps in their biosynthesis pathways. The precursors of the molecules are glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and arginine, condensed by the carboxyethylarginine synthetase (CeaS). The next steps in the pathway occur by the subsequent action of the β-lactam synthase (Bls) forming the β-lactam ring, a proclavaminic acid guanidine hydrolase (PAH) and the clavaminate synthase (Csa2), which forms the two rings clavam structure of clavaminic acid. Modifications of this compound result in late step intermediates for clavulanic acid biosynthesis, N-glycylclavaminic acid or clavaldehyde, and in the clavams structures. In addition to the clavulanic acid gene cluster, two additional clusters containing paralogous genes for clavulanic acid biosynthesis and clavam biosynthesis have been located in S. clavuligerus. Biochemical characterization of the clavam non producer mutants will clarify the biosynthetic pathway of these compounds.
Further reading: Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Bioactive Natural Products in Actinomycetes
Category: Biotechnology
Gene Clusters for Bioactive Natural Products in Actinomycetes and their Use in Combinatorial Biosynthesis
from Carlos Olano, Carmen Méndez and José A. Salas writing in Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology:
During the last twenty five years the isolation and characterization of gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of actinomycete secondary metabolites has permitted the elucidation of the biochemical steps involved in the production of different structural classes of bioactive compounds. The characterization of these clusters has represented a great source of genes for the generation of novel "unnatural natural" compounds by using combinatorial biosynthesis. The development of more effective methods for DNA sequencing, the improvement of targeted inactivation and heterologous host expression systems has strengthened the effectiveness of combinatorial biosynthesis. For these reasons combinatorial DNA technology has become during the last decade one of the most important approaches for generating chemical structural diversity and for increasing the number of potential useful compounds.
Further reading: Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
from Carlos Olano, Carmen Méndez and José A. Salas writing in Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology:
During the last twenty five years the isolation and characterization of gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of actinomycete secondary metabolites has permitted the elucidation of the biochemical steps involved in the production of different structural classes of bioactive compounds. The characterization of these clusters has represented a great source of genes for the generation of novel "unnatural natural" compounds by using combinatorial biosynthesis. The development of more effective methods for DNA sequencing, the improvement of targeted inactivation and heterologous host expression systems has strengthened the effectiveness of combinatorial biosynthesis. For these reasons combinatorial DNA technology has become during the last decade one of the most important approaches for generating chemical structural diversity and for increasing the number of potential useful compounds.
Further reading: Streptomyces: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Conference update
June 27 - 29, 2011 Advances in the cellular and molecular biology of angiogenesis
Birmingham, UK Further information
Understanding angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels) is crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, alleviate developmental problems, and maximise reparative tissue remodelling. Of particular interest are those conditions where vascular growth is excessive (e.g. tumours) or insufficient (e.g. ischaemia). This meeting will emphasise an integrative approach to unravelling the molecular and cellular basis of angiogenesis. The likely focus will be on the control by vascular cell surface receptors, intracellular signalling pathways, cell proliferation, cell-cell interaction, and the functional consequences for health and disease. Recent progress in both technical and conceptual approaches are improving our understanding, and this meeting aims to facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas among workers in related fields, but disciplines that rarely have the chance to interact.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books
Birmingham, UK Further information
Understanding angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels) is crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, alleviate developmental problems, and maximise reparative tissue remodelling. Of particular interest are those conditions where vascular growth is excessive (e.g. tumours) or insufficient (e.g. ischaemia). This meeting will emphasise an integrative approach to unravelling the molecular and cellular basis of angiogenesis. The likely focus will be on the control by vascular cell surface receptors, intracellular signalling pathways, cell proliferation, cell-cell interaction, and the functional consequences for health and disease. Recent progress in both technical and conceptual approaches are improving our understanding, and this meeting aims to facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas among workers in related fields, but disciplines that rarely have the chance to interact.
Suggested reading: Molecular Biology Books