This month in BioMed Roundup:

• Halperin et al. reported that a belief that the beliefs of other groups are changeable rather than fixed is conducive to negotiation.
• Janssen et al. found that altering whole-chromosome number can directly increase chromosome structural damage in cancer cells.
• Paolicelli et al. reported that normal brain development relies on microglia for synaptic pruning.
• Bettegowda et al. showed that a gene originally studied for its role in fruit fly embryogenesis is implicated in the growth of a common human brain tumor.

Jump to:

• Molecular Biology
• Neuroscience/Psychology
• Biochemistry
• Medicine/Physiology
• Cell/Developmental Biology
• Microbiology
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Plant Biology

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MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Tet Proteins Can Convert 5-Methylcytosine to 5-Formylcytosine and 5-Carboxylcytosine (2 September 2011)
S. Ito et al.
Tet-Mediated Formation of 5-Carboxylcytosine and Its Excision by TDG in Mammalian DNA (2 September 2011)
Y.-F. He et al.
Evidence for a possible route for DNA demethylation in animals is suggested.
See related Perspective

Multi-Input RNAi-Based Logic Circuit for Identification of Specific Cancer Cells (2 September 2011)
Z. Xie et al.
A synthetic biomolecular circuit identifies abnormal cell states by the integration of multiple endogenous microRNA inputs.

Epigenetic Licensing of Germline Gene Expression by Maternal RNA in C. elegans (2 September 2011)
C. L. Johnson and A. M. Spence
Expression of a gene in an offspring needs an RNA (but not the protein it codes for) provided by its mother.

Yeast Rrn7 and Human TAF1B Are TFIIB-Related RNA Polymerase I General Transcription Factors (16 September 2011)
B. A. Knutson and S. Hahn
TAF1B Is a TFIIB-Like Component of the Basal Transcription Machinery for RNA Polymerase I (16 September 2011)
S. Naidu et al.
RNA polymerase I uses a transcription factor IIB–related protein for transcription, similar to the known requirement for polymerase II and III.

A Role for Snf2-Related Nucleosome-Spacing Enzymes in Genome-Wide Nucleosome Organization (23 September 2011)
T. Gkikopoulos et al.
Three chromatin remodeling enzymes in yeast drive higher-order chromatin compaction.

Chromosome Segregation Errors as a Cause of DNA Damage and Structural Chromosome Aberrations (30 September 2011)
A. Janssen et al.
Altering whole-chromosome number can directly increase chromosome structural damage in cancer cells.


NEUROSCIENCE/PSYCHOLOGY

Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development (9 September 2011)
R. C. Paolicelli et al.
A good brain needs a good vacuum cleaner.
See related Perspective

Light-Induced Structural and Functional Plasticity in Drosophila Larval Visual System (9 September 2011)
C. L. Johnson and A. M. Spence
Expression of a gene in an offspring needs an RNA (but not the protein it codes for) provided by its mother.

HCN2 Ion Channels Play a Central Role in Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain (9 September 2011)
E. C. Emery et al.
Action potential firing, initiated by HCN2 ion channels, is the basic mechanism underlying neuropathic pain.

Role for the Membrane Receptor Guanylyl Cyclase-C in Attention Deficiency and Hyperactive Behavior (16 September 2011)
R. Gong et al.
A receptor for gut hormones also functions in the brain, where its loss affects attention.

Control of Local Protein Synthesis and Initial Events in Myelination by Action Potentials (16 September 2011)
H. Wake et al.
Axons signal through both glutamate and adenosine triphosphate release to regulate their insulating wraps.
See related Perspective

Promoting the Middle East Peace Process by Changing Beliefs About Group Malleability (23 September 2011)
E. Halperin et al.
A belief that the beliefs of other groups are changeable rather than fixed is conducive to negotiation.

Glutamatergic and Dopaminergic Neurons Mediate Anxiogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of CRHR1 (30 September 2011)
D. Refojo et al.
An imbalance between CRHR1-controlled anxiogenic glutamatergic and anxiolytic dopaminergic systems might lead to emotional disturbances.


BIOCHEMISTRY

Chemical and Genetic Engineering of Selective Ion Channel–Ligand Interactions (2 September 2011)
C. J. Magnus et al.
Engineered ion channels enable manipulation of cellular function by selective chemical control of ionic conductance.

Chromosome Organization by a Nucleoid-Associated Protein in Live Bacteria (9 September 2011)
W. Wang et al.
Super-resolution imaging in live Escherichia coli reveals protein clusters that sequester DNA loci and organize the chromosome.

Ribosome Assembly Factors Prevent Premature Translation Initiation by 40S Assembly Intermediates (9 September 2011)
B. S. Strunk et al.
Ribosome assembly factors block multiple steps in translation initiation.

Single–Base Pair Unwinding and Asynchronous RNA Release by the Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase (23 September 2011)
W. Cheng et al.
During RNA unwinding, nucleotides are transiently sequestered, and their release is decoupled from base pair opening.

An Expanded Palette of Genetically Encoded Ca²⁺ Indicators (30 September 2011)
Y. Zhao et al.
Directed protein evolution provides a series of fluorescent protein-based indicators for multicolor Ca²⁺ imaging.


MEDICINE/PHYSIOLOGY

Entrainment of a Population of Synthetic Genetic Oscillators (2 September 2011)
O. Mondragón-Palomino et al.
A positive-feedback loop in a biological oscillator allows effective setting of the clock by external cues.

Mutations in CIC and FUBP1 Contribute to Human Oligodendroglioma (9 September 2011)
C. Bettegowda et al.
A gene originally studied for its role in fruit fly embryogenesis is implicated in the growth of a common human brain tumor.

Sequence and Structural Convergence of Broad and Potent HIV Antibodies That Mimic CD4 Binding (16 September 2011)
J. F. Scheid et al.
Anti-HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies with similar specificities and modes of binding were found in multiple HIV-infected individuals.
See related Perspective

Superfast Muscles Set Maximum Call Rate in Echolocating Bats (30 September 2011)
C. P. H. Elemans et al.
Superfast muscles control the rate of call output in echolocating bats.

Histone Lysine Demethylase JARID1a Activates CLOCK-BMAL1 and Influences the Circadian Clock (30 September 2011)
L. DiTacchio et al.
The histone lysine demethylase JARID1a has demethylase-independent function in the circadian clock.
See related Perspective


CELL/DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

X-ROS Signaling: Rapid Mechano-Chemo Transduction in Heart (9 September 2011)
B. L. Prosser et al.
Reactive oxygen species produced by NADPH oxidase link mechanical stretching to calcium signaling in mammalian myocytes
See related Perspective

Human Sperm Binding Is Mediated by the Sialyl-Lewis^x Oligosaccharide on the Zona Pellucida (23 September 2011)
P.-C. Pang et al.
Fertilization in humans is initiated by binding of spermatozoa to a selectin ligand on the egg’s extracellular
See related Perspective

Unfolded Proteins Are Ire1-Activating Ligands That Directly Induce the Unfolded Protein Response (30 September 2011)
B. M. Gardner and P. Walter
A newly synthesized secretory protein quality control pathway is activated by direct binding of misfolded proteins to a sensor in the endoplasmic reticulum..
See related Perspective


MICROBIOLOGY

Pyrazinamide Inhibits Trans-Translation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (16 September 2011)
W. Shi et al.
The target of a first-line tuberculosis drug that acts against persister bacteria is identified.
See related Perspective
Acceleration of Emergence of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance in Connected Microenvironments (23 September 2011)
Q. Zhang et al.
Gradients of antibiotics generated in a microfluidic device provoke selection of ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli.
See related Perspective



GENETICS

The Potential for Chemolithoautotrophy Among Ubiquitous Bacteria Lineages in the Dark Ocean (2 September 2011)
B. K. Swan et al.
Bacteria isolated from a deep seawater mass seem to fix carbon using energy from the oxidation of inorganic sulfur.



IMMUNOLOGY

GRK2-Dependent S1PR1 Desensitization Is Required for Lymphocytes to Overcome Their Attraction to Blood (30 September 2011)
T. I. Arnon et al.
A molecular mechanism that allows lymphocytes to migrate against a chemokine gradient is reveale


PLANT BIOLOGY

Generation of Spatial Patterns Through Cell Polarity Switching (9 September 2011)
S. Robinson et al.
A few simple rules are sufficient to keep neighboring stomata at a safe distance from one another.

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