2024 Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar

Project Summary/Abstract The 2022 Gordon Research Conference on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins “The Biophysics and Biology of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins” will be held June 23-June 28, 2024, in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), as opposed to intrinsically foldable proteins, do not adopt unique folded structures

but instead exist as ensembles of dynamic and unstructured interconverting conformations. IDPs and ID regions function through these conformational ensembles and are drivers of biological outputs. The conformations of IDPs are a direct consequence of their sequences, physicochemical properties, and the environment in which

they reside. IDPs come in many different flavors, exemplified by sequence features such as amino acid composition and patterning, and they can exist in the context of multi-domain proteins and in different environmental contexts. Combined, this determines their functions and mechanisms of action in different cells

and organisms. Sequences can also encode material properties that emerge when many molecules come together in large assemblies, e.g., in biomolecular condensates, and this is important in biological function as well as for biomaterial science. Understanding how the sequence grammar and the precise context give rise to

conformations and functions, from single molecules to assemblies, on time scales from picoseconds to years, is important for elucidating how IDPs shape biology and how their dysregulation gives rise to diseases. Our vision for this meeting is to tackle interdisciplinary questions on IDPs in biological function and disease-

related dysfunction by bringing together biophysicists, polymer physicists, biochemists and cell biologists, and scientists seeking to therapeutically target IDPs. The GRC and accompanying GRS will be particularly valuable for entry of young scientists into the field, facilitated through a newly introduced tutorial session. Sessions will

prioritize emerging research focusing on quantitative elucidation of fundamental principles and mechanisms using biophysical, biochemical, cell biological, computational, and theoretical approaches, showcasing biological functions of IDPs across the cellular landscape. Key scientific objectives are as follows:

Objective 1. To address how the basic physicochemical properties of IDPs relate to their unique functional mechanisms. Objective 2. To discuss dysregulation of IDPs in human diseases and how they may be targeted for therapeutic intervention. Objective 3. To address the role of disordered proteins in phase separation that underlies the

formation of cellular biomolecular condensates and disease processes. We have also identified the following key logistical objective for the conference: Objective 4. To promote diversity and inclusiveness in the intrinsically disordered protein research community through invitation of diverse speakers and funding to underrepresented groups.