[Coral-List] ICRS mini-symposium: Cell and Molecular Biology of Symbiosis

[Alexander Venn]

Dear Colleagues, 
 
We're very pleased to announce our mini-symposium entitled “Cell and Molecular 
Biology of Symbiosis” at the 2012 International Coral Reef Symposium, to be held 
in Cairns, Australia in July 2012. This mini-symposium forms part of Symposium 6 
(“Physiology and Functional Biology”). It will focus on the cellular and 
molecular basis of the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis, especially with 
regards to symbiosis establishment, stasis and breakdown, though submissions 
about other coral-microbial symbioses will also be considered (see below for 
further details). 

 
Abstracts are due from 1 July – 1 October.  Please submit your abstract via the 
ICRS website, http://www.icrs2012.com. [Note: only one abstract per presenting 
author is permitted across the conference].
 
If you have questions about the suitability of your abstract, please contact us 
directly:
 
Chair:  Simon Davy (simon.davy at vuw.ac.nz)
Co-chairs: Alex Venn (alex at centrescientifique.mc); Virginia Weis 
(weisv at science.oregonstate.edu)
 

Mini-symposium 6a - Cell and Molecular Biology of Symbiosis:

Elucidation of coral host/dinoflagellate symbiont interactions at the cellular 
and molecular levels remains a major challenge. Current lack of knowledge 
hampers our understanding of reef ecology and symbiosis dysfunction under 
environmental stress. This mini-symposium builds on a successful mini-symposium 
at the previous ICRS and will ensure that this topic remains a primary focus. We 
will address cellular and molecular aspects of the three key phases of 
cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis: 1) Establishment; 2) Stasis; 3) Breakdown. 
Some important questions relating to these phases include: How do symbiotic 
partners recognize one another? By what means do symbiont cells proliferate 
through host tissues? How are metabolites transported across the host-symbiont 
interface? What cellular signals induce corals to expel their symbionts during 
bleaching? Submissions that address these and similar questions in 
cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses are encouraged. We also encourage submissions 
that consider interactions between corals and other microbes, especially where 
they inform our broader understanding of coral immunity and coral holobiont 
biology.
Alexander Venn
Chargé de Recherche / Research Scientist
Centre Scientifique de Monaco
http://www.centrescientifique.mc/csmuk/cv/venn.php