The 3rd Worldwide Network Conference (HPWN-3): ?Strengthening the connection between fundamental research and its biotechnological applications?, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy, 25?29 September 2004

Abstract

The Hansenula polymorpha Worldwide Network (HPWN) Conference is a biannual meeting at which fundamental research groups and industrial groups come together. The participating groups utilize the thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast H. polymorpha (syn. Pichia angusta ) as host during their studies. This organism is one of the most useful model organisms to study the intertwined processes of methanol metabolism and peroxisome homeostasis. Additionally, H. polymorpha has become a very powerful micro-organism for the production of heterologous proteins. After meetings in Dusseldorf, Germany (2000) and La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain (2002), the 3rd HPWN meeting was organized by members of the lab of Enrico Berardi (University of Ancona, Italy) in the conference centre of Porto Conte Ricerche, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy, 25–29 September 2004. Approximately 65 participants attended the conference, which included 27 scheduled presentations. Very importantly, the conference schedule allowed much time for informal interactions between the various participants, which is the strength of such small and specialized meetings. One-third of the participants were from biotechnological companies, reflecting the interest of H. polymorpha as a platform for heterologous protein production. ### 2.1 Nitrogen metabolism The conference got started with a comparative approach between the transcriptional regulation of nitrogen utilization in different ascomycetes by the invited speaker Claudio Scazzocchio (Universite Paris-Sud, France). His thorough comparison focussed on nitrogen utilization in Aspergillus nidulans and H. polymorpha . Unlike other yeast species, H. polymorpha has the ability to assimilate nitrate as sole nitrogen source. The main conclusion that could be drawn from this comparison is that there has been a convergent evolution between these fungal species that has led to distinct systems of regulation of nitrogen utilization in H. polymorpha and filamentous fungi. During recent years, nitrate/nitrite assimilation has become one of the main topics in the lab of E. Berardi , the host of the meeting. Federica Serrani from his …