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Bioenergetics

General Info
Status:	Active
Discipline:	Biological
Initial Year:	1963
Cycle:	24 Months

Categories
Biological Chemistry Biophysics Molecular Cell Biology

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Conference Description
The Gordon Research Conference on "Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics" was first held in 1963 when it was named "Energy Coupling Mechanisms". The majority of the sessions of the conferences held in the 1960's and early 1970's were concerned with the mechanism of coupling ATP synthesis driven by electron transfer reactions in the mitochondrial inner membrane or driven by light absorption in photosynthetic membranes. The Chairs of the conferences during this period were: 1963, D. Rao Sanadi; 1965, Phillip Handler; 1968, Henry Lardy; 1971, Lester Packer; and 1974, D. Rao Sanadi. Although Peter Mitchell proposed his chemiosmotic coupling mechanism for ATP synthesis in 1961 that led to his Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1978, it was not until 1971 that all participants at this conference accepted the chemiosmotic mechanism for ATP synthesis in place of the high energy intermediate hypothesis that was postulated in the early 1950’s. Transition from the chemical coupling hypothesis to chemiosmotic coupling was catalyzed by a classic review article from G.D. Greville entitled “A Scrutiny of Mitchell’s Chemiosmotic Hypothesis of Respiratory Chain and Photosynthetic Phosphorylation” (Current Topics in Bioenergetics 3, 1-78 [1969]). In 1981, the Thursday evening session of the GRC on Energy Coupling Mechanisms was a salute to Peter Mitchell in honor of his 60th birthday. This was the only GRC that he attended. From 1977 - 1989, the biannual conferences on "Energy Coupling Mechanisms" continued to focus on molecular mechanisms involved in electron transport-driven ATP synthesis in energy transducing membranes. The Chairs during this period were: 1977, Paul Boyer; 1979, Sidney Fleischer; 1981, Youssef Hatefi; 1983, Peter Pedersen; 1985, Roderick Capaldi; 1987, Alan Senior; and 1989, Bernard Trumpower. The theme of these conferences was expanded to include sessions on membrane transport processes that included ion translocating ATPases of subcellular organelles, the bacterial lactose permease, and bacteriorhodopsin. The development of rapid DNA sequencing techniques and site-directed mutagenesis in the early 1980’s led to major changes in the focus of all areas of the conference. Molecular mechanisms involved in the import of nuclearly encoded proteins into the mitochondrion became a recurring topic after it was found that mammalian mitochondrial DNA encodes 13 proteins which are either components of the F_oF₁-ATP synthase or electron transfer complexes located in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genes encoding proteins imported into the mitochondrion led to sessions devoted to mitochondrial diseases. After it was recognized that vacuolar ATPases have structural similarities with the F_oF₁-ATP synthases, subsequent biannual conferences included sessions on V-ATPases. Based on the expanded topics covered, the name of the 1989 conference was changed to "Bioenergetics". The chairs of the biannual conferences from 1991 - 2001 were: 1991, Richard Cross; 1993, Robert Gennis; 1995, Robert Fillingame; 1997, Shelagh Ferguson-Miller; 1999, William Allison; and 2001, William Cramer. Elucidation of the crystal structure of the photosynthetic reaction center in the late 1980’s, and crystal structures of the F_oF₁-ATP synthases and mitochondrial and bacterial electron transfer complexes in the 1990’s introduced sessions based on structure-function relationships probed by site directed mutagenesis. Memorable presentations during this period were descriptions of the structures of the F_oF₁-ATP synthase by John Walker and single molecule rotational catalysis by the immobilized F₁-ATPase reported by Masasuke Yoshida. Moreover, in an evening session on July 4, 1995 at Proctor Academy, Shinya Yoshikawa described the yet to be published structure of bovine cytochrome oxidase to a surprised audience. Just as he completed his talk, the first rockets of the Fourth of July celebration in Andover exploded. Before the audience could respond with applause, a smiling Professor Yoshikawa responded with thank, thank you, thank you. This coincidence could only happen immediately after a lecture delivered in rural New Hampshire. From recognition that the scope of the conference had expanded to include many sessions based on cellular bioenergetics related to aging and disease, the name of the conference was changed to "Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics" in 2003. Starting in 2004, this conference is now held annually. Those that chaired the conferences during this period are: 2003, Michael Forgac; 2004, Gary Cecchini; 2005, Patricia Kane; 2006, Stanley Dunn; and 2007, Fevzi Daldal. The chair elect for the 2008 conference is David Nicholls.

Conference Description

The Gordon Research Conference on "Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics" was first held in 1963 when it was named "Energy Coupling Mechanisms". The majority of the sessions of the conferences held in the 1960's and early 1970's were concerned with the mechanism of coupling ATP synthesis driven by electron transfer reactions in the mitochondrial inner membrane or driven by light absorption in photosynthetic membranes. The Chairs of the conferences during this period were: 1963, D. Rao Sanadi; 1965, Phillip Handler; 1968, Henry Lardy; 1971, Lester Packer; and 1974, D. Rao Sanadi. Although Peter Mitchell proposed his chemiosmotic coupling mechanism for ATP synthesis in 1961 that led to his Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1978, it was not until 1971 that all participants at this conference accepted the chemiosmotic mechanism for ATP synthesis in place of the high energy intermediate hypothesis that was postulated in the early 1950’s. Transition from the chemical coupling hypothesis to chemiosmotic coupling was catalyzed by a classic review article from G.D. Greville entitled “A Scrutiny of Mitchell’s Chemiosmotic Hypothesis of Respiratory Chain and Photosynthetic Phosphorylation” (Current Topics in Bioenergetics 3, 1-78 [1969]). In 1981, the Thursday evening session of the GRC on Energy Coupling Mechanisms was a salute to Peter Mitchell in honor of his 60th birthday. This was the only GRC that he attended.

From 1977 - 1989, the biannual conferences on "Energy Coupling Mechanisms" continued to focus on molecular mechanisms involved in electron transport-driven ATP synthesis in energy transducing membranes. The Chairs during this period were: 1977, Paul Boyer; 1979, Sidney Fleischer; 1981, Youssef Hatefi; 1983, Peter Pedersen; 1985, Roderick Capaldi; 1987, Alan Senior; and 1989, Bernard Trumpower. The theme of these conferences was expanded to include sessions on membrane transport processes that included ion translocating ATPases of subcellular organelles, the bacterial lactose permease, and bacteriorhodopsin. The development of rapid DNA sequencing techniques and site-directed mutagenesis in the early 1980’s led to major changes in the focus of all areas of the conference. Molecular mechanisms involved in the import of nuclearly encoded proteins into the mitochondrion became a recurring topic after it was found that mammalian mitochondrial DNA encodes 13 proteins which are either components of the F_oF₁-ATP synthase or electron transfer complexes located in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genes encoding proteins imported into the mitochondrion led to sessions devoted to mitochondrial diseases. After it was recognized that vacuolar ATPases have structural similarities with the F_oF₁-ATP synthases, subsequent biannual conferences included sessions on V-ATPases.

Based on the expanded topics covered, the name of the 1989 conference was changed to "Bioenergetics". The chairs of the biannual conferences from 1991 - 2001 were: 1991, Richard Cross; 1993, Robert Gennis; 1995, Robert Fillingame; 1997, Shelagh Ferguson-Miller; 1999, William Allison; and 2001, William Cramer. Elucidation of the crystal structure of the photosynthetic reaction center in the late 1980’s, and crystal structures of the F_oF₁-ATP synthases and mitochondrial and bacterial electron transfer complexes in the 1990’s introduced sessions based on structure-function relationships probed by site directed mutagenesis. Memorable presentations during this period were descriptions of the structures of the F_oF₁-ATP synthase by John Walker and single molecule rotational catalysis by the immobilized F₁-ATPase reported by Masasuke Yoshida. Moreover, in an evening session on July 4, 1995 at Proctor Academy, Shinya Yoshikawa described the yet to be published structure of bovine cytochrome oxidase to a surprised audience. Just as he completed his talk, the first rockets of the Fourth of July celebration in Andover exploded. Before the audience could respond with applause, a smiling Professor Yoshikawa responded with thank, thank you, thank you. This coincidence could only happen immediately after a lecture delivered in rural New Hampshire.

From recognition that the scope of the conference had expanded to include many sessions based on cellular bioenergetics related to aging and disease, the name of the conference was changed to "Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics" in 2003. Starting in 2004, this conference is now held annually. Those that chaired the conferences during this period are: 2003, Michael Forgac; 2004, Gary Cecchini; 2005, Patricia Kane; 2006, Stanley Dunn; and 2007, Fevzi Daldal. The chair elect for the 2008 conference is David Nicholls.

Meeting History

Year	Meeting Name	Dates	Conference Site	Chair(s)
2013	Bioenergetics Molecular Mechanisms and Fundamental Principles to Cellular Energetics in Health and Disease	Jun 23-28	Proctor Academy	Ulrich Brandt
2011	Bioenergetics	Jun 26 - Jul 1	Proctor Academy	Brian D. Cain
2009	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics From Crystal Structures to Human Disease	Jun 7-12	Proctor Academy	David G. Nicholls
2007	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics	Jun 17-22	Proctor Academy	Fevzi Daldal
2006	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics	Jun 11-16	Proctor Academy	Stanley D. Dunn
2005	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics	Jun 26 - Jul 1	University of New England	Patricia M. Kane
2004	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics	Jun 20-25	Proctor Academy	Gary Cecchini
2003	Molecular & Cellular Bioenergetics	Jun 22-27	Kimball Union Academy	Michael D. Forgac
2001	Bioenergetics	Jun 17-22	Kimball Union Academy	William A. Cramer
1999	Bioenergetics	Jun 27 - Jul 2	Proctor Academy	William S. Allison
1997	Bioenergetics	Jun 29 - Jul 4	Proctor Academy	Shelagh M. Ferguson-Miller
1995	Bioenergetics	Jul 2-7	Proctor Academy	Robert H. Fillingame
1993	Bioenergetics	Jul 4-9	Holderness School	Robert B. Gennis
1991	Bioenergetics	Jul 8-12	Holderness School	Richard L. Cross
1989	Bioenergetics	Jul 24-28	Holderness School	Bernard L. Trumpower
1987	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	Jun 29 - Jul 3	Holderness School	Alan E. Senior
1985	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	Jul 1-5	Holderness School	Roderick A. Capaldi
1983	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Peter L. Penderson
1981	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Youssef Hatefi
1979	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Sidney Fleischer
1977	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Paul Boyer
1974	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		D. Rao Sanadi Paul Boyer
1971	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Lester Packer D. Rao Sanadi
1968	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Lester Packer Henery Lardy
1965	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		Philip Handler
1963	Energy Coupling Mechanisms	-		D. Rao Sanadi

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