Welcome note Call for abstracts General information CALL Dear friends and colleagues, We cordially invite you to submit your abstract (max. length 2,000 Date characters) online at www.prokagenomics.org for the follow- 20–23 September 2020 FOR We are pleased to announce that the ProkaGENOMICS conference ing topics. Abstracts must be submitted in English no later than ABSTRACTS 20–23 is back in 2020 and is devoted to the motto ‘From Small Viruses to 29 April, 2020. September Complex Communities’. Venue 2020 Topics University of Göttingen Our three main topics are as follows: • Microbial biodiversity, functioning and adaptation on a Central Lecture Hall (Zentrales Hörsaalgebäude) GÖTTINGEN changing planet Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5 Structure and Function of Microbiomes • Horizontal gene transfer, mobile genetic elements and 37073 Göttingen (Germany) Biocatalysts and Molecules from Microbes or antibiotic resistance Microbial Assemblages • Microbiomes and ecosystem services • Host-microbe interactions Conference website Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses • New developments in biodegradation and biocontrol • Challenges in the discovery of new biocatalysts and molecules www.prokagenomics.org One of the most revolutionary advances in the biological sciences • Expanding the toolbox with new biocatalysts in recent years has been the realization of the importance of micro- • Rewriting microbial processes – bioprocess engineering and biomes. Microbiomes could be key to health and disease of their enzyme optimization hosts, and play central roles in the biogeochemical processes that • Bacterial and archaeal viruses Conference chairs sustain life on our planet. At present, one of the main goals is to Prof. Dr. Rolf Daniel elucidate the composition and functions of the microbiota, and the An international review panel will evaluate all abstracts according to Institute of Microbiology and Genetics complex interplay between the microbiota and the environment. scientific content and suitability for ProkaGENOMICS 2020. A limited Georg-August-University Göttingen (Germany) In the past, microbiomes have mainly been defined by their bacte- number will be accepted for oral presentations or poster pitches. rial, archaeal as well as their fungal members, but also viruses play All abstract authors will be informed automatically as soon as the Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel pivotal roles in microbial communities. Unraveling the of procedure of publication has been determined. Institute for Microbiology bacterial and archaeal viruses and their relationship with their hosts University of (Germany) is key to understanding microbial systems, their exploitation and how our microbial driven world is tempered by them. Registration Our rapidly increasing understanding of microbes and microbial Conference language communities also offers new horizons for white . Being Registration for the conference is required and available online at The official conference language is English. applied to the industry to replace polluting technologies for clean www.prokagenomics.org. ones white biotechnology provides large benefits – both environ- mentally and economically. Registration fees Early bird Late Conference organisation All these above mentioned hot topics in microbial research are registration registration Conventus Congressmanagement & Marketing GmbH covered by ProkaGENOMICS 2020. A panel of nationally and inter- until 30 June from 1 July Justus Appelt/Martin Rennert nationally well-recognized scientists, both from and abroad, Member VAAM* student 130 EUR 150 EUR Carl-Pulfrich-Straße 1 I 07745 Jena (Germany)

will present and discuss the latest developments in these exciting Non-member student 155 EUR 175 EUR Phone +49 3641 31 16-311 Göttingen of © University research fields. Member VAAM* scientist 270 EUR 310 EUR Fax +49 3641 31 16-340 The conference will be accompanied by a Minisymposium on Big Non-member scientist 345 EUR 385 EUR [email protected] I www.conventus.de Data providing the opportunity to learn about techniques to deal Industry 450 EUR 490 EUR with the huge amount of data generated in functional (meta-) genomic analyses. Social programme Sponsored by You are cordially invited to participate and to bring your scientific Welcome reception, conference participant incl. ProkaGENOMICS 2020 expertise to this conference to make it an outstanding scientific event. Welcome reception, accompanying person 20 EUR Social evening/conference dinner 50 EUR From Small Viruses to Complex Communities Save the date from 20–23 September 2020 and join us in Goettingen! Minisymposium ‘Big Data’ 23 September 50 EUR The conference chairs Rolf Daniel Katharina Riedel * Member of VAAM or any other FEMS member society www.prokagenomics.org University of Göttingen University of Greifswald Preliminary scientific programme

SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER MONDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER Wednesday, 23 SEPTEMBER

16.00–21.00 Registration Microbial biodiversity, functioning and adaptation on a changing Challenges in the discovery of new biocatalysts and molecules Host-microbe interactions 18.00–18.30 Opening remarks planet • Functional metagenomics enabled bacterial genome engineering • Title tba 18.30–19.30 Opening lecture • Chemical microscopy for structure-function analyses of microbiomes for bioplastics Matt Horton, Zurich (Switzerland) Functional metagenomics and isoprene degrading Michael Wagner, Vienna (Austria) Trevor Charles, Waterloo (Canada) • Oral presentations selected from abstracts bacteria • Soil microbes and climate change – the good, the bad and the ugly • Expanding the phytases – new metagenomic approaches for their • Poster pitches Colin Murrell, Norwich (UK) Tim Urich, Greifswald (Germany) recovery and characterization 19.30 Welcome reception • Oral presentations selected from abstracts Genis A. Castillo Villamizar, Santander (Colombia) Rewriting microbial processes – bioprocess engineering and • Oral presentations selected from abstracts enzyme optimization New developments in biodegradation and biocontrol • Refactoring yeast central metabolism to reverse growth • Functional metagenomics – global searches for plastic degrading Microbiomes and ecosystem services phenotypes and product formation bacteria and enzymes • Merging pangenomics with cell biology to understand carbon Diethard Mattanovich, Vienna (Austria) Wolfgang Streit, (Germany) oxidation in the ocean • Oral presentations selected from abstracts FEMS Meeting Grant • Oral presentations selected from abstracts Stephen Giovannoni, Oregon (USA) • Poster pitches • Oral presentations selected from abstracts We are happy to announce that the ProkaGENOMICS Conference • Poster pitches received a FEMS Meeting Grant. Poster session I Poster session II Wednesday, 23 SEPTEMBER You can apply for a FEMS grant when you are: Horizontal gene transfer, mobile genetic elements and antibiotic • a member of a FEMS Member Society; this must be confirmed by resistance Expanding the toolbox with new biocatalysts and molecules any officer of your society • Title tba • New biocatalytic reactions discovered by screening metagenomic Minisymposium • less than 36 years of age at the closing date of the meeting Kornelia Smalla, Braunschweig (Germany) enzyme panels ‘Big data tools, trends and pitfalls’ • an active microbiologist • Oral presentations selected from abstracts Nicholas Turner, Manchester (UK) • a presenting author of an abstract at ProkaGENOMICS 2020 • Poster pitches • Oral presentations selected from abstracts 14:00 to 18:00 Please note that, in addition to the FEMS Meeting Grant, the organis- Bacterial and archaeal viruses Bacterial and archaeal viruses • Session I – Genomics and transcriptomics ers will waive 50% of the conference registration fee for successful • The secrets of archaeal viruses • Title tba applicants. Mart Krupovic, Paris (France) Britt L. Koskella, Berkeley (USA) • Session II – Metagenomics – how to assess? • Oral presentations selected from abstracts • Oral presentations selected from abstracts Further infomation can be found online: www.prokagenomics.org. • Poster pitches

Conference dinner

Welcome to Göttingen

Göttingen is a university town in Lower , Germany. The origins The historical city centre, enclosed by the remains of the medieval of Göttingen lay in a village called Gutingi. This village was first men- town wall, is home to magnificent churches and half-timbered tioned in a document in 953. The city was founded between 1150 houses dating from the 14th to the 18th century. Most of today‘s and 1200 to the northwest of this village and adopted its name. In urban life takes place within the old town walls. Göttingen is medieval times the city was a member of the and known for its short distances between all places of interest. hence a wealthy town. Göttingen’s landmark is the ‘Gänseliesel’ on the fountain at the Today, Göttingen is famous for its old university (Georgia Augusta, or market square in front of the Old Town Hall. This art nouveau ‘Georg-August-Universität’), which was founded in 1737 and became statue figures a girl herding geese. It is a tradition that all new the most visited university of Europe. The success of the university doctoral graduates from the University kiss the cheeks of the is reflected by the long list of Nobel Prize laureates associated with statue after passing their examination. This makes her ‘the most Göttingen. kissed girl in the world’. © R.-Andreas Klein; Daniel0705; modernmovie l AdobeStock Klein; Daniel0705; modernmovie © R.-Andreas

Johannisstraße with St. Johannis Church Gänseliesel fountain Georg-August-University