Genome and Chromatin: Organization, Evolution, Function

At a round table discussion on the eukaryotic chromosome sponsor- ed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft in Diisseldorf, February 1978, the botanists among the participants felt that plant systems were under-represented. In this unsatisfactory situation, Professor V. HEMLEBEN, Tiibingen, suggested another meeting to discuss actual problems and results concerning botanical chromosome research. Professor W. NAGL was willing to organize a symposium at the University of Kaiserslautern, and Professor F. EHRENDoRFER, Wien, contacted the Rpringer-Verlag, Vienna-New York, to explore the possibility of publishing the results of this symposium in the form of a supplement volume to the journal Plant Systematics and Evol7ttion. The conference took place on 13-15 October 1978 in the Department of Biology of the University of Kaiserslautern and was attended by 40 participants from 11 universities between Hamburg and Vienna. Emphasis of this Chromosome Symposium was given to three aspects, which do not attract major interest at large international congresses: 1. Discussion and Demonstration of technical details which cannot be found in published papers (so-called tricks). 2. Orientation about actual trends and results in our understanding of the organization, evolution, and function of the plant genome at the level of the DNA (gene), the level of chromatin, and the level of the karyotype. 3. Presentation of hypotheses and models which may be stimulating for further research. Moreover, younger students should have the possibility to present their results and to discuss them with more experienced scientists.