9722797 Krainer A conference on "Eukaryotic mRNA Processing" will convene scientists studying various aspects of mRNA splicing and 3' -end processing mechanisms and regulation in metazoans and in yeast. Major advances have recently been made in these areas, and the conference will be a timely event for discussing the latest unpublished results and exchanging ideas, thereby fostering new developments in this rapidly moving field. The conference is a new international meeting to be held every other year at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The first meeting will be held on August 20 - 24, 1997, and is expected to attract 300-400 scientists who are actively investigating various aspects of messenger RNA maturation in eukaryotic cells, using genetic, biochemical, molecular, and cell biological approaches. The major focus of the first meeting will be on nuclear events in mRNA maturation, particularly mRNA splicing and polyadenylation. It will include eight plenary sessions and two poster sessions. Speakers in the plenary sessions will be selected on the basis of the submitted abstracts, which will encourage active participation by junior scientists. The main topics covered will include catalytic mechanisms and specificity of mRNA splicing and 3' -end processing; developmental and cell-type specific regulation of gene expression by alternative splicing and polyadenylation; structure and function of snRNP particles and of hnRNPs, SR proteins, PRPs, and other yeast and metazoan protein factors involved in splicing or polyadenylation; spliceosome assembly; and localization and dynamics of processing reactions, factors, substrates, and products, in relation to nuclear architecture and to nuclear-cytoplasmic transport. The proper regulation of gene expression is essential to all life. One fundamental mode of regulation is the processing of RNA transcripts of genes. At this international meeting, between 300 and 400 scientists will gather to share, discuss, and analyze the most recent results and i deas in this field of mRNA processing in eukaryotes. ***
