A New Era of Research on Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes: Their Reaction Mechanisms and Evolution

The 2015 Gordon Conference on Cellulosomes, Cellulases, and Other Carbohydrate Modifying Enzymes will present cutting-edge research on the enzymatic degradation of cellulose and other plant cell wall components. The Conference will feature a range of current topics that includes the enzymology related to biosynthesis and biodegradation of plant polysaccharides, metagenomic approaches for cell wall-degrading organisms, structure-function relationships in Carbohydrate-Active enzymes, as well as advances in applications of these enzymes in the biofuel/biorefinery contexts. The 2015 Conference will also include evolutionary aspects of biomass degrading enzymes, an area boosted by the recent availability of a vast number of genomes. Contributions on enzymes related to polysaccharide modification, not only hydrolases but also synthases, esterases, lyases, oxidoreductases and non-catalytic carbohydrate-interacting proteins, will be particularly welcome. Invited speakers represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including plant cell wall structure, enzymology, structural biology, genetics and cell biology. The interplay between fundamental research and its industrial exploitation is a particularly important aspect of the meeting.

The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, which includes ample time for formal discussion sessions and informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an excellent environment for scientists from different disciplines - and both from academic and industrial backgrounds - to interact, thereby promoting cross-disciplinary collaborations. Moreover, the meeting and the associated GRS will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work and exchange ideas with more established figures in the field. To incorporate the most recent advances and to provide speaking opportunities to young researchers, a number of oral presentations at this GRC will be selected from the submitted abstracts. The Conference is likely to be heavily subscribed, so it is strongly suggested that applications to attend be submitted as soon as possible. Priority will generally be given to attendees who demonstrate active participation in the meeting through the submission of a presentation abstract.