The proposed conference deals with two topics that are clearly inter-related but have not been dealt with together previously. Research over the last several years has revealed that several bacterial and eukaryotic RNA processing enzymes possess an RNA component that in itself has catalytic activity. Interest in such enzymes and catalytic RNAs has been broad and progress rapid, leading to the award of the Nobel Prize to workers in the area in 1989. Recently, research in bacterial mRNA decay has also been vigorous, although the process is still poorly defined. However, the decay of mRNA is formally similar to RNA processing and very recent work, from several American, European and Japanese laboratories, indicates that these two processes have components in common. The objective of the conference is to provide a forum where workers in these two rapidly moving areas can interact and exchange information. The meeting has the sponsorship of the American Society of Microbiology. It is to be organized by Drs. David Apirion and Donald Nierlich at a site on the U.S. Eastern seaboard, and held October 27-31, 1991. Seven regular sessions and three poster sessions are planned. An opening talk is to be given by Dr. Sydney Altman (New Haven) and the closing talk by Dr. Marianne Grunberg-Manago (Paris).
