Next summer's Gordon Research Conference on """"""""Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation"""""""" (June 23-27) will focus on oncogenesis and the regulation of growth and cell metabolism by second messengers. Since the discovery of cAMP and its mechanism of action, it has been clear that protein phosphorylation plays a major role in regulating cellular processes. The discovery that several classes of oncogenes node for proteins that have intrinsic protein kinase activity specific for tyrosine residues has suddenly caused many previously divergent areas of research to converge. The further demonstration that many growth factor receptors have intrinsic kinase activity that is essential for their function has widened the horizons even further. A recurring theme will be the fact that many of the components that play major roles in normal growth and regulation have oncogene homologs. Superimposed on this is the tremendous recent impact that molecular biology has had on our understanding of previously elusive and complex molecules and on the approaches that can be used to ask questions. The format of the Gordon Research Conferences thus makes this a particularily opportune time to bring together a variety of scientists from different disciplines to exchange information in an informal environment. The particular sessions in next summer's conference will include 1) cAMP-dependent protein kinases with primary emphasis on new approaches for probing its structure, 2) the tyrosine-specific vital kinases and their cellular homologs, 3) regulation by serine-specific cellular kinases, including protein kinase C, 4) protein phosphatases and phosphodiesterases, 5) guanine-nucleotide binding proteins noting their oncogene homologs and the impact of molecular biology and x-ray crystallography, 6) phosphatidyl inositol turnover and role of diacyl glycerol inositol-P3 and Ca++ as second messengers focusing on the phospholipases as well as on the second messengers, 7) growth factor receptors emphasizing their structure, their regulation and the internalization, turnover, and processing of these types of membrane-spanning receptors, 8) the insulin receptor, and 9) the possible mechanisms for cyclic nucleotide regulation of gene expression.
