Research Highlights in 2013

Methodological optimization makes possible the long-awaited derivation of human embryonic stem cells from embryos obtained with somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Binning based on differential read coverage, rather than sequence composition, allows separation of metagenomic sequence reads into species-level clusters that can be assembled into single chromosomes.

Reagents that recognize specific chemical modifications while ignoring the surrounding protein offer valuable proteomic insights.

A large library of peptides and phosphopeptides, along with their tandem mass spectra, serves as a resource for the proteomics field.

X-ray imaging using synchrotron radiation reveals the cellular choreography of a developing frog embryo in spectacular detail.

A polymer 'nano-suit' allows living organisms to survive the harsh conditions of scanning electron microscopy.

Researchers use networked porous metal complexes as crystalline 'sponges' that absorb and orient small molecules for X-ray crystallography.

Machine learning and imaging show what the dreaming brain sees.

Two independently controlled regulators modulate the output in amplifying Boolean logic gates.

Two reports demonstrate further advances in the use of nitrogen vacancies for very different imaging applications.

Two independent groups identify factors that drive direct conversion to oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the rodent.

Locating the final oxidation products of methylated cytosine by enrichment and sequencing reveals that DNA demethylation is common across the genome.

A new approach to magnetic resonance imaging data acquisition and analysis promises to improve sensitivity and facilitate quantitative measurements.

Researchers describe a simple way to design cellular culture environments.

Molecular assemblies on magnetic nanoparticles enable localized activation of signaling pathways inside cells.

Fluorescent biosensors that catch their targets at just the right moment reveal an unusual cell signaling mechanism.

To produce enough raw material for high-quality whole-genome sequencing, researchers capture and grow single, culture-resistant bacteria in gel micro-droplets.

By marking protein-DNA interactions in real time, scientists track chromosomal rearrangements in the nuclei of living cells.

An enzymatically dead Cas9 endonuclease permits targeted, RNA-guided transcriptional silencing.

Developing tools to detect the rare mutations found in tumors demands a lot of data and rigorous benchmarking.