François Jacob Conference : Evolution, Structure and Function of Chromosomes High Order Structure
Considerable progress has been made in recent years in our understanding of the structure of chromosomes inside the nucleus or the bacteria, the role of long range contacts in gene regulation, the role of sub-chromosomal domains in controlling gene activation and single cell analysis. Similarly studies on the role of condensin and cohesins explain how long range contacts are stabilized and how chromosomes pair and segregate during cell division. However there is still an enormous gap in our understanding of the evolution of chromosomes structure, the physical processes that govern chromosome topology, chromosome condensation during mitosis, homology search during DNA repair or metaphase, the role of phase separation in the nucleus etc. We also do not fully understand how specific long range contacts are formed and resolved during the cell cycle, during differentiation or mitosis.
The time is ripe for the organisation of a dedicated scientific meeting to bring scientists investigating various aspects of chromosome biology, imaging, evolution, development and diseases together with physico-chemists and physicists interested in macromolecules and their assembly. We will also bring communities who do not mix frequently, those who study bacterial chromosomes, yeast and fungi with those who study invertebrates up to human and mouse cells and organisms.