Conferences
17–18 September 2012, William H. Natcher Building—Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive, Building 45, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Chromatin Control of Viral Infection
The role of chromatin and epigenetic regulation in cellular transcription, replication, and development has been well recognized. However, it has only recently been appreciated that invading viral pathogens that depend upon cellular nuclear machinery are also subject to the regulatory impacts of chromatin.
For lytic pathogens, successful infection depends both upon the ability to counter cellular defense mechanisms, such as deposition of nucleosomes with repressive chromatin marks, as well as the ability to utilize cellular activities that install positive marks to promote the efficient utilization of cellular transcription and/or replication machinery. Additionally, viral pathogens whose complex replication cycles include coupled stages of lytic replication and latency/persistence are impacted by epigenetic regulation that plays a controlling role in determining the viral state.
Advances in understanding the basic biology of chromatin deposition, modification, and modulation/remodeling will contribute to the understanding of viral diseases and present novel opportunities for prophylaxis or treatment. The workshop "Chromatin Control of Viral Infection" brings together leaders in this research area, representing various viral families as well as select experts in general chromatin biology.
