• Molecular Biology
• Medicine
• Microbiology/Virology
• Cell Signaling/Cell Biology
• Neuroscience/Psychology
• Genetics
• Physiology
• Plant Science

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
The DEAD-Box RNA Helicase Dbp5 Functions in Translation Termination (2 February 2007)
T. Gross, A. Siepmann, D. Sturm, M. Windgassen, J. J. Scarcelli, M. Seedorf, C. N. Cole, H. Krebber
An RNA helicase is necessary for normal termination of translation, recruiting a known termination factor into the protein complex that ends the process.

Yeast Rtt109 Promotes Genome Stability by Acetylating Histone H3 on Lysine 56 (2 February 2007)
R. Driscoll, A. Hudson, S. P. Jackson

Rtt109 Acetylates Histone H3 Lysine 56 and Functions in DNA Replication (2 February 2007)
J. Han, H. Zhou, B. Horazdovsky, K. Zhang, R.-M. Xu, Z. Zhang
A newly identified histone acetyl transferase is necessary for the stability of the genome, particularly during DNA replication.

CPD Damage Recognition by Transcribing RNA Polymerase II (9 February 2007)
F. Brueckner, U. Hennecke, T. Carell, P. Cramer
The damage induced in DNA by ultraviolet light causes transcribing polymerase to insert uridine, an abnormal nucleotide, halting progress and initiating DNA repair.

Redirection of Silencing Targets by Adenosine-to-Inosine Editing of miRNAs (23 February 2007)
Y. Kawahara, B. Zinshteyn, P. Sethupathy, H. Iizasa, A. G. Hatzigeorgiou, K. Nishikura
Editing of a particular miRNA—changing adenosine to inosine—alters which mRNAs the miRNA targets for degradation, which in turn changes uric acid levels in the brain.

Gene Body–Specific Methylation on the Active X Chromosome (23 February 2007)
A. Hellman and A. Chess
Transcribed portions of genes on the active human X chromosome are unexpectedly hypermethylated, usually considered an inactivating mechanism at promotors.



MEDICINE

An X Chromosome Gene, WTX, Is Commonly Inactivated in Wilms Tumor (2 February 2007)
M. N. Rivera, W. J. Kim, J. Wells, D. R. Driscoll, B. W. Brannigan, M. Han, J. C. Kim, A. P. Feinberg, W. L. Gerald, S. O. Vargas et al.
The identification of a gene mutated in pediatric kidney cancer suggests that genes located on the X chromosome play a greater role in cancer than has been thought.

Cadherin-11 in Synovial Lining Formation and Pathology in Arthritis (16 February 2007)
D. M. Lee, H. P. Kiener, S. K. Agarwal, E. H. Noss, G. F. M. Watts, O. Chisaka, M. Takeichi, M. B. Brenner
A mouse version of rheumatoid arthritis can be ameliorated by inhibition or elimination of a cell surface adhesion molecule found within joints, suggesting a therapeutic approach for humans.
See related Perspective.

Reversal of Neurological Defects in a Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome (23 February 2007)
J. Guy, J. Gan, J. Selfridge, S. Cobb, A. Bird
In a mouse replica of an autism-like genetic disorder, reactivation of the defective gene after symptoms appear ameliorates the disease, suggesting a therapeutic approach.



MICROBIOLOGY/VIROLOGY

A Two–Amino Acid Change in the Hemagglutinin of the 1918 Influenza Virus Abolishes Transmission (2 February 2007)
T. M. Tumpey, T. R. Maines, N. Van Hoeven, L. Glaser, A. Solórzano, C. Pappas, N. J. Cox, D. E. Swayne, P. Palese, J. M. Katz, A. García-Sastre
One or two changes in the amino acids of a surface protein on the 1918 influenza virus alter the sialic acid linkages sufficiently to greatly reduce transmissibility.

Structural and Regulatory Genes Required to Make the Gas Dimethyl Sulfide in Bacteria (2 February 2007)
J. D. Todd, R. Rogers, Y. G. Li, M. Wexler, P. L. Bond, L. Sun, A. R. J. Curson, G. Malin, M. Steinke, A. W. B. Johnston
A bacteria gene is found that enables cleavage of DMSP to the volatile sulfur compound dimethyl sulfide (DMS) involved in cloud nucleation and hence global warming.

Evidence That Focal Adhesion Complexes Power Bacterial Gliding Motility (9 February 2007)
T. Mignot, J. W. Shaevitz, P. L. Hartzell, D. R. Zusman
Unexpectedly, bacteria can move as eukaryotes do, by adhering to the surface via transient adhesion sites that continually replenish at the forward end.
See related Perspective.

The Phosphothreonine Lyase Activity of a Bacterial Type III Effector Family (16 February 2007)
H. Li, H. Xu, Y. Zhou, J. Zhang, C. Long, S. L., S. Chen, J.-M. Zhou, F. Shao
A family of virulence factors in bacteria removes a phosphate from a key signaling enzyme in its infected host and thereby interferes with the host’s innate immunity.

Archaeal Type III RuBisCOs Function in a Pathway for AMP Metabolism (16 February 2007)
T. Sato, H. Atomi, T. Imanaka
In nonphotosynthetic Archaea, the enzyme RuBisCO does not fix CO2 as it does in plants; instead it salvages adenosine and diverts ribulose into the central metabolism.

Quantitative Phylogenetic Assessment of Microbial Communities in Diverse Environments (23 February 2007)
C. von Mering, P. Hugenholtz, J. Raes, S. G. Tringe, T. Doerks, L. J. Jensen, N. Ward, and P. Bork
Analysis of microbial protein-coding genes from several ecosystems shows that taxa prefer certain habitats and that evolution is faster in some places than in others.

Staphylococcus aureus Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Causes Necrotizing Pneumonia (23 February 2007)
M. Labandeira-Rey, F. Couzon, S. Boisset, E. L. Brown, M. Bes, Y. Benito, E. M. Barbu, V. Vazquez, M. Höök, J. Etienne, et al.
A virulent form of drug-resistant bacterium not only carries genes for a potent toxin but also makes more of an inflammatory factor, exacerbating the resulting pneumonia.
See related Perspective.

Structure of the Prefusion Form of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Glycoprotein G (9 February 2007)
S. Roche, F. A. Rey, Y. Gaudin, S. Bressanelli
Despite the reversibility of the process, the protein that fuses rabies-like viruses with cell membranes during infection undergoes a dramatic reorganization upon fusion.



CELL SIGNALING/CELL BIOLOGY

Protein Kinase C β and Prolyl Isomerase 1 Regulate Mitochondrial Effects of the Life-Span Determinant p66^Shc (2 February 2007)
P. Pinton, A. Rimessi, S. Marchi, F. Orsini, E. Migliaccio, M. Giorgio, C.Contursi, S. Minucci, F. Mantovani, M. R. Wieckowski et al.
A protein that prolongs life span when mutated has oxidoreductase activity in mitochondria where it generates toxic oxygen radicals, suggesting a possible therapeutic target.
See related Perspective.

Targeting of Diacylglycerol Degradation to M1 Muscarinic Receptors by β-Arrestins (2 February 2007)
C. D. Nelson, S. J. Perry, D. S. Regier, S. M. Prescott, M. K. Topham, R. J. Lefkowitz
A regulatory protein that limits the extent of signaling through a well-described class of receptor performs the same function for another receptor class, but by a completely different mechanism.
See related Perspective.

A Membrane Receptor for Retinol Binding Protein Mediates Cellular Uptake of Vitamin A (9 February 2007)
R. Kawaguchi, J. Yu, J. Honda, J. Hu, J. Whitelegge, P. Ping, P. Wiita, D. Bok, H. Sun
A membrane protein with a previously unknown function binds the carrier protein for vitamin A, causes release of the vitamin, and transports it into cells.

Integration of TGF-β and Ras/MAPK Signaling Through p53 Phosphorylation (9 February 2007)
M. Cordenonsi, M. Montagner, M. Adorno, L. Zacchigna, G. Martello, A. Mamidi, S. Soligo, S. Dupont, S. Piccolo
Two prominent signaling pathways important for cell growth and development intersect at a common tumor suppressor, p53.

Apoptosis Initiated When BH3 Ligands Engage Multiple Bcl-2 Homologs, Not Bax or Bak (9 February 2007)
S. N. Willis, J. I. Fletcher, T. Kaufmann, M. F. van Delft, L. Chen, P. E. Czabotar, H. Ierino, E. F. Lee, W. D. Fairlie, P. Bouillet et al.
Two cell death–related proteins need to be constantly inhibited by prosurvival proteins to prevent death by default in human cells.
See related Perspective.

Multipotent Drosophila Intestinal Stem Cells Specify Daughter Cell Fates by Differential Notch Signaling (16 February 2007)
B. Ohlstein and A. Spradling
Stem cell daughters in the Drosophila intestine can take on one of three identities; this choice is controlled by the activation level of a common developmental receptor.

Polymerizing Actin Fibers Position Integrins Primed to Probe for Adhesion Sites (16 February 2007)
C. G. Galbraith, K. M. Yamada, J. A. Galbraith
In motile cells, actin fibers form integrin-covered protrusions that are poised to interact with surfaces in the cell’s search for adhesion sites.

NEUROSCIENCE/PSYCHOLOGY

Dimensions of Mind Perception (2 February 2007)
H. M. Gray, K. Gray, D. M. Wegner
In a Web-based survey, people conclude that anything that has feelings (such as hunger or pride) and the ability to act (such as communicating or showing self-restraint) possesses a mind.

Pattern Separation in the Dentate Gyrus and CA3 of the Hippocampus (16 February 2007)
J. K. Leutgeb, S. Leutgeb, M.-B. Moser, E. I. Moser
Rats code small changes in their surrounding environment by modifying neural activity in the dentate gyrus and code larger differences by activating neurons in an adjacent area.
See related Perspective.

Maplike Representation of Celestial E-Vector Orientations in the Brain of an Insect (16 February 2007)
S. Heinze and U. Homberg
The orientation of polarized light is represented as a columnar map in the locust brain, which may help to orient the insect under the open sky.



GENETICS

Relative Impact of Nucleotide and Copy Number Variation on Gene Expression Phenotypes (9 February 2007)
B. E. Stranger, M. S. Forrest, M. Dunning, C. E. Ingle, C. Beazley, N. Thorne, R. Redon, C. P. Bird, A. de Grassi, C. Lee et al.
Variation in gene expression among humans is caused by differences in single nucleotides as well as in the number of copies of genes.

The Calyptogena magnifica Chemoautotrophic Symbiont Genome (16 February 2007)
I. L. G. Newton, T. Woyke, T. A. Auchtung, G. F. Dilly, R. J. Dutton, M. C. Fisher, K. M. Fontanez, E. Lau, F. J. Stewart, P. M. Richardson et al.
A chemoautotrophic symbiont of the giant clam found in hydrothermal vents has a complex metabolic repertoire and can provide its host with most nutritional needs.


PHYSIOLOGY

Regulation of Drosophila Life Span by Olfaction and Food-Derived Odors (23 February 2007) 1133
S. Libert, J. Zwiener, X. Chu, W. VanVoorhies, G. Roman, S. D. Pletcher
In flies, the ability of a severely calorie-restricted diet to extend life span can be partially reversed by exposing the flies to the odor of their main food, yeast.

Antennal Mechanosensors Mediate Flight Control in Moths (9 February 2007)
S. P. Sane, A. Dieudonné, M. A. Willis, T. L. Daniel
Moths’ antennae detect rotational motion and relay this mechanosensory input to neural centers to maintain stability
during flight.
See related Perspective.



PLANT SCIENCE

Nuclear Activity of MLA Immune Receptors Links Isolate-Specific and Basal Disease-Resistance Responses (23 February 2007)
Q.-H. Shen, Y. Saijo, S. Mauch, C. Biskup, S. Bieri, B. Keller, H. Seki, B. Ülker, I. E. Somssich, P. Schulze-Lefert
Plant immune receptors that detect pathogen attack trigger resistance responses by derepressing a transcriptional regulatory loop.
See related Perspective.