Intestinal microflora meets big brother: gut parasites and immunity.
The work demonstrates a critical interaction between the intestinal flora and intestinal dwelling nematode parasites. Also, both types of organism are important for the normal regulation of the immunity suggesting that the intestinal ecosystem should be considered to encompass not only microflora but also larger parasitic organisms, the macrofauna.
K S Hayes, A J Bancroft, M Goldrick, C Portsmouth, I S Roberts, R K Grencis, (2010) Science 328(5984): 1391-4.
Sequencing of the frog genome.
This paper describes the first amphibian genome to be sequenced. The information gained from this genome is highly significant for scientists interested in genome evolution. Also, given that the frog has been a mainstay model organism for cell and developmental biology, this genome has enormous impact in these fields as well.
Uffe Hellsten, Richard M Harland, Michael J Gilchrist, et al, (2010) Science 328(5978): 633-6.
Transcriptional control by repressor/activator competition for binding to a common docking partner.
Transcriptional repressors usually compete with activators through mutual exclusion from a common DNA binding site. Here we uncover a novel mechanism whereby a “docking” transcription factor binds to DNA and a transcriptional activator and a transcriptional repressor compete for binding to the same protein surface of this docking transcription factor.
Zoulfia Darieva, Anne Clancy, Richard Bulmer, Emma Williams, Aline Pic-Taylor, Brian A Morgan, Andrew D Sharrocks, (2010) Molecular Cell 38(1): 29-40.
Stand up straight, legs apart! Integrins get physical to control cell adhesion.
To increase our understanding of how integrin structure relates to function, we have used a variety of approaches to survey the conformation of integrins on adherent cells. We found that extended receptors are enriched in focal adhesions compared with adjacent regions of the plasma membrane.
Janet A Askari, Christopher J Tynan, Stephen E D Webb, Marisa L Martin-Fernandez, Christoph Ballestrem, Martin J Humphries, (2010) The Journal of Cell Biology 188(6): 891-903.
Stressful situations can stunt your growth.
Collagen X immunolocalisation (purple staining) within the tibial growth plate of a wildtype mouse and an MCDS littermate. Mutant collagen X is initially retained inside the cells in the upper part of the expanded hypertrophic zone of the MCDS mouse and its secretion is significantly delayed compared to WT.
M Helen Rajpar, ... David J Thornton, Richard Wilson, John F Bateman, Richard Poulsom, Peter Arvan, Karl E Kadler, Michael D Briggs, Raymond P Boot-Handford, (2009) PLoS Genetics 5(10): e1000691.
Muscle weakness associated with dwarfism - it’s all connected.
Pseudoachondroplasia is a dwarfing condition, primarily affecting long bones. Recently, several patients were diagnosed with a mild myopathy. Using a knock-in mouse model we show that the myopathy is specifically localised to the myotendinous junction and that it stems directly from abnormal changes to tendon.
Katarzyna A Piróg, Oihane Jaka, Yoshihisa Katakura, Roger S Meadows, Karl E Kadler, Raymond P Boot-Handford, Michael D Briggs, (2010) Human Molecular Genetics 19(1): 52-64.
Regulation of motoneurons morphology.
Understanding how neuronal shape is controlled is an essential step to comprehend how functional neuronal circuits are formed. We have uncovered a new molecular mechanism regulating axonal branching in motoneurons, suggesting that calcium may play an important role in morphogenesis.
Niki Panagiotaki, Federico Dajas-Bailador, Enrique Amaya, Nancy Papalopulu, Karel Dorey, (2010) Development (Cambridge, England) 137(23): 4005-15.
Oxidative stress promotes prion formation.
The molecular basis by which mammalian and fungal prions arise spontaneously is poorly understood. Using the yeast [PSI+] prion as a model, we have shown that reactive oxygen species can trigger this event, since cells lacking a key antioxidant defence system form the [PSI+] prion spontaneously at a remarkably high frequency.
Theodora C Sideri, Klement Stojanovski, Mick F Tuite, Chris M Grant, (2010) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107(14): 6394-9.