Japan-US symposium on cytoskeletal motor proteins and their associated proteins

Abstract

Over the last decade, the Biophysical Society of Japan [1] has encouraged holding exchange symposiums among overseas countries. So far, such symposiums were held with Asian countries mainly because in-person meetings were preconditions and Asian countries are geographically close to Japan. Under the pandemic situation, this precondition can be released by the possibility of virtual meetings. It is easier for us to attend international conferences online. Considering this as a merit of the pandemic situation, this time, for the 59 th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society of Japan, we plan to conduct a joint virtual symposium between Japan and the USA. We would like to state that the annual meeting was first thought to be held in person in Sendai, in 2021, commemorating the 10 th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Sendai was one of the areas affected by the disaster. The meeting will be held as a symbol of the recovery of our society from the earthquake and COVID-19 pandemic.In the illustration of a cell for the webpage of the annual meeting (Fig. 1), one can see myosin fibers pulling actin filaments together, kinesin and dynein walk along microtubules transporting mitochondria and endosomes, and F o F 1 -ATP synthase rotates synthesizing ATP molecules inside the mitochondrion. Studies on these motor proteins are topics of the symposium. Speakers in this symposium are recognized internationally as experts in the field of motor proteins and their associated proteins. The symposium topics include multidisciplinary applications of genetics, bio-engineering, bio-chemistry, medical science, and physics of motor proteins, which will give us new insights into the motor proteins, as well as novel applications of existing single-molecule techniques.We have invited three speakers from the United States. Dr. Zev Bryant (Stanford University) will talk about engineering biomolecular motors. He describes the work of his group and their findings by saying "Molecular motors lie at the heart of biological processes ranging from DNA replication to cell migration. We use single-molecule tracking and manipulation to characterize the structural dynamics of these nanoscale assemblies, and further challenge our understanding by designing and testing structural variants with novel properties that expand the functional range of known biomolecular machines. In the process, we are developing an engineering capacity for molecular motors with tunable and dynamically controllable physical properties, providing a toolkit for precise perturbations of mechanical functions in vitro and in living cells." See details of the Bryant lab [2] and a recent publication [3].Dr. Erika Holzbaur (University of Pennsylvania) will talk about deciphering the function of activating adaptors in the motor-driven transport of mitochondria and autophagosomes. She summarizes the work of her group by saying "The axons of neurons are maintained by the active transport of organelles along the microtubule cytoskeleton, driven by the molecular motors cytopl...

The third Japan-U.S. symposium on motor proteins and associated single-molecule biophysics

“…The third Japan-U.S. symposium on motor proteins and associated single-molecule biophysics will be held on 15 November 2023, during the 61 st Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society of Japan. This is a series of motor protein symposia, starting in 2021 [ 1 , 2 ], that will bring together researchers from Japan and the U.S.-two leading countries in the field- to foster the exchange of ideas and promote cutting-edge collaborative research. With a lineup of renowned experts in the field, this symposium provides an exceptional opportunity to present the latest advances in our understanding of motor protein movement and regulation.…”

Japan–US symposium on motor proteins and associated single-molecule biophysics

“…We organize the Japan-US symposium on motor proteins and associated single-molecule biophysics, which is held at the 60 th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society of Japan in September 2022 ( Figure 1 ). This joint symposium is the second trial following the one organized in November 2021, in which Dr. Zev Bryant, Dr. Erika Holzbaur, and Dr. Kristen Verhey from the USA and Dr. Jakia Jannat Keya, Dr. Shinsuke Niwa, and Dr. Kyoko Chiba from Japan had participated [ 1 ].…”