34th New Phytologist Symposium. Systems biology and ecology of CAM plants Lake Tahoe, California, USA, 15–18 July 2014 http://www.newphytologist.org/symposiums/view/5
--- Travel grants are available for students and early career post-docs. Application deadline 11th APRIL 2013. Poster abstract submissions are open. Submission deadline 9th MAY 2013 Places are limited so please register early. --- SCOPE Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a striking example of convergent evolution found in about 7% of higher plants that significantly enhances plant water-use efficiency by facilitating the nocturnal uptake of CO, coupled with daytime stomatal closure. The increased frequency of drought over the past century, as well as substantial current variation and predicted future increases in its global occurrence, has intensified interest in understanding how CAM plants are so well adapted to survive in water-limited environments. High-throughput sequencing of transcriptome, genome and proteome has been initiated internationally for several CAM species and the large-volume datasets generated from these projects look set to provide a step-change in our understanding of the mechanistic basis and evolutionary origins of CAM biochemistry. Effective utilization of these resources requires collaboration among molecular geneticists, physiologists, ecologists and taxonomists to generate hypotheses that expand the potential of the CAM system for developing more water-use efficient crops, and for informing the improvement of economically and ecologically relevant CAM species for bioenergy production and the maintenance of ecosystem services. The following major topical themes will be covered: -Ecology: CAM species are key components of threatened biomes that include tropical montane cloud forests and xerophytic succulent scrub. -Evolution: Date-calibrated phylogenies generate specific hypotheses about the evolutionary origins of CAM and the palaeoecological context in which particular lineages arose. -Ecophysiology and metabolism: How is the diel supply and demand for carbon coordinated with stomatal conductance to optimize carbon gain and water-use efficiency? -Genomics: What are the molecular triggers that underpin the C –CAM transition? How does transcriptional/posttranscriptional regulation achieve the manifestation of CAM on a background of C biochemistry? -Exploiting CAM for sustainable productivity: What are the prospects for engineering CAM into C crops? Can species such as be exploited for biofuel production on nonagricultural or under-utilized semi-arid lands? --- FORMAT We aim to promote basic research in CAM by integrating functional genomics with biochemistry, physiology, development, ecology, and evolutionary studies to gain new insights into the regulatory mechanisms and evolutionary origins of the pathway. We will highlight the potential of CAM research for tackling bioenergy and environmental challenges pertaining to water security and resource limitation and the maintenance of productivity and ecosystems services in a changing world. In addition to this, specific talks will look at new research areas and address the big questions for future research. The symposium will take place over four days at the Granlibakken Resort and Conference Center, on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, CA, USA. There will be dedicated time for discussions, posters, selected poster talks, a field trip and a conference dinner. --- ORGANISING COMMITTEE (Chair) Professor Xiaohan Yang Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA Dr Anne Borland University of Newcastle, UK Professor John C. Cushman University of Nevada, Reno, USA Dr James Hartwell University of Liverpool, UK Professor Joseph Holtum James Cook University, Australia Professor Stan D. Wullschleger Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA --- SPEAKERS Anne Borland Newcastle University, UK Susie Boxall University of Liverpool, UK Thomas Brutnell Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA Johan Ceusters Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium John Cushman University of Nevada, Reno, USA Sarah Davis Ohio University, USA Erick de la Barrera Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Mexico Erika Edwards Brown University, USA Luciano Freschi University Sao Paulo, Brazil Howard Griffiths University of Cambridge, UK James Hartwell University of Liverpool, UK Joe Holtum James Cook University, Australia Ray Ming University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Casandra Reyes Garcia Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mexico Rowan Sage University of Toronto, Canada Katia Silvera Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama June Simpson Cinvesrav Irapuato, Mexico Andrew Smith University of Oxford, UK José Luis Andrade Torres Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mexico David Weston Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA David G. Williams University of Wyoming, USA Klaus Winter Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama Bernard Wone University of Nevada, Reno, USA Xiaohan Yang Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA Hengfu Yin Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA Programme, registration and further information available at http://www.newphytologist.org/symposiums/view/5 Contact: Michael Panagopulos, [email protected], +44 1524 592 124. New Phytologist Trust website: www.newphytologist.org Twitter: @NewPhyt #34NPS Facebook: fb.com/NewPhytologist
