Bio-Med Roundup


This month in Bio-Med Roundup:
    • Carter et al. described the crystal structure of the dynein motor domain.
    • Jiao et al. found that the most commonly mutated genes in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors encode proteins implicated in chromatin remodeling.
    • Fogel et al. showed that neurons in the brain that boost the morning response of the circadian rhythm are themselves directly responsive to light.
    • Kir et al. reported that fibroblast growth factor 19 regulates liver metabolism through a mechanism distinct from that of insulin.
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CELL/DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

Dynamics of Dpp Signaling and Proliferation Control (4 March 2011)
O. Wartlick et al.
Mitosis starts when morphogen signaling levels have increased by half since the beginning of the cell cycle.
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A Sorting Platform Determines the Order of Protein Secretion in Bacterial Type III Systems (4 March 2011)
M. Lara-Tejero et al.
The bacterial enteropathogen Salmonella sorts its effector protein substrates prior to secretion.
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Function of Rhodopsin in Temperature Discrimination in Drosophila (11 March 2011)
W. L. Shen et al.
The light sensor rhodopsin appears to also function in temperature sensation in the fruit fly.
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A Polarized Epithelium Organized by ß- and a-Catenin Predates Cadherin and Metazoan Origins (11 March 2011)
D. J. Dickinson et al.
An epithelium in Dictyostelium discoideum suggests convergence between multicellular animals and slime molds.

Mutations in the RNA Granule Component TDRD7 Cause Cataract and Glaucoma (25 March 2011)
S. A. Lachke et al.
A Tudor domain protein mediates posttranscriptional control of gene expression and is required for eye-lens development.
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Cortical Constriction During Abscission Involves Helices of ESCRT-III?Dependent Filaments (25 March 2011)
J. Guizetti et al.
The process by which animal cells are physically separated after cell division is dissected in molecular detail.
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FGF19 as a Postprandial, Insulin-Independent Activator of Hepatic Protein and Glycogen Synthesis (25 March 2011)
S. Kir et al.
Fibroblast growth factor 19 regulates liver metabolism through a mechanism distinct from that of insulin.
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BIOCHEMISTRY

Crystal Structure of the Dynein Motor Domain (4 March 2011)
A. P. Carter et al.
The structure reveals the functional elements of the dynein motor and suggests how they change conformation during motility.
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Three-Dimensional Model of Salmonella's Needle Complex at Subnanometer Resolution (4 March 2011)
O. Schraidt and T. C. Marlovits
A cryo-electron microscopy structure of a bacterial secretion complex reveals threefold symmetry.
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Structures of SAS-6 Suggest Its Organization in Centrioles (4 March 2011)
M. van Breugel et al.
Self-assembly of a centriolar protein may contribute to organizing the cartwheel-like hub and establishing centriole symmetry.


MEDICINE/PHYSIOLOGY

DAXX/ATRX, MEN1, and mTOR Pathway Genes Are Frequently Altered in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (4 March 2011)
Y. Jiao et al.
A rare but deadly form of human pancreatic cancer harbors mutations in chromatin remodeling genes.
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A Circadian Rhythm Orchestrated by Histone Deacetylase 3 Controls Hepatic Lipid Metabolism (11 March 2011)
D. Feng et al.
Circadian control of liver metabolism is mediated by cycles of recruitment of the histone deacetylase HDAC3.
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Cardiac Myosin Activation: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Systolic Heart Failure (18 March 2011)
F. I. Malik et al.
A small molecule improves cardiac function by accelerating the transition of myosin into a force-producing state.
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CD40 Agonists Alter Tumor Stroma and Show Efficacy Against Pancreatic Carcinoma in Mice and Humans (25 March 2011)
G. L. Beatty et al.
CD40 immunotherapy shows efficacy in treating pancreatic cancer in mice and humans by eliciting antitumor immunity.


NEUROSCIENCE/PSYCHOLOGY

Enhancement of Consolidated Long-Term Memory by Overexpression of Protein Kinase M? in the Neocortex (4 March 2011)

R. Shema et al.
In rats, overexpression of a persistently active protein kinase C isoform enhances memories long after they have been formed.

CRYPTOCHROME Is a Blue-Light Sensor That Regulates Neuronal Firing Rate (18 March 2011)
K. J. Fogle et al.
Neurons in the brain that boost the morning response of the circadian rhythm are themselves directly responsive to light.
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Reversal of Interlaminar Signal Between Sensory and Memory Processing in Monkey Temporal Cortex (18 March 2011)
D. Takeuchi et al.
Feed-forward signals flowing across cortical layers during sensory coding reverse direction during memory retrieval.

A Brief Social-Belonging Intervention Improves Academic and Health Outcomes of Minority Students (18 March 2011)
G. M. Walton and G. L. Cohen
Reducing feelings of social exclusion yields lasting improvements in academic performance and health in college students.


MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Ordered and Dynamic Assembly of Single Spliceosomes (11 March 2011)
A. A. Hoskins
et al.
Fluorescently labeled yeast spliceosome proteins reveal the events of intron splicing as it happens.

Positive Supercoiling of Mitotic DNA Drives Decatenation by Topoisomerase II in Eukaryotes (11 March 2011)
J. Baxter et al.
Positive supercoiling of catenated DNA during cell division induces its enzymatic decatenation to allow chromosome segregation.

Direct Interaction of RNA Polymerase II and Mediator Required for Transcription in Vivo (18 March 2011)
J. Soutourina et al.
A direct functional contact of RNA polymerase II with Mediator activates transcription in eukaryotes.

Clr4/Suv39 and RNA Quality Control Factors Cooperate to Trigger RNAi and Suppress Antisense RNA (25 March 2011)
K. Zhang et al.
A histone methyltransferase and an RNA export protein team up to clobber aberrant RNAs in fission yeast.


IMMUNOLOGY

Different B Cell Populations Mediate Early and Late Memory During an Endogenous Immune Response (4 March 2011)
K. A. Pape et al.
A cell enrichment technique reveals the dynamics of the endogenous memory B cell response.

A Bacterial Protein Targets the BAHD1 Chromatin Complex to Stimulate Type III Interferon Response (11 March 2011)
A. Lebreton et al.
A virulence factor secreted by Listeria monocytogenes induces expression of interferon-stimulated genes.
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PLANT SCIENCE

Pseudomonas sax Genes Overcome Aliphatic Isothiocyanate?Mediated Non-Host Resistance in Arabidopsis (4 March 2011)
J. Fan et al.
Natural-product effectors of disease resistance in Arabidopsis reveal complementary disabling mechanisms in the pathogen.