Featured
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Article |
Retroviral intasome assembly and inhibition of DNA strand transfer
The integrase protein of retroviruses such as HIV-1 catalyses insertion of the viral genome into that of the host. Here, the long-awaited structure of the full-length integrase complex is predicted, revealing not only details of the biochemistry of the integration reaction, but also the means by which current inhibitors affect this process.
- Stephen Hare
- , Saumya Shree Gupta
- & Peter Cherepanov
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News |
Ten billion dollars pledged for 'decade of vaccines'
Gates Foundation cash could save nearly nine million children.
- Heidi Ledford
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Editorial |
Valid concerns
The reporting of candidate biomarkers for disease must be rigorous to drive translational research.
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Research Highlights |
Cancer biology: Weighted cancer risk
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Editorial |
Learning to share
By opening up its database of potential malaria drugs, GlaxoSmithKline has blazed a path that other pharmaceutical companies should follow.
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News & Views |
50 & 100 years ago
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Research Highlights |
Vascular biology: Hearty hormones
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Research Highlights |
Regenerative biology: New nerve cells connect
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Research Highlights |
Neurobiology: Prions at work
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News & Views |
Stability in times of stress
Damaged lysosomes, the principal degradative organelles, can kill a cell. A stress-induced protein controls lysosome stability, providing a potential target to treat lysosome-related diseases and cancer.
- Ibolya Horváth
- & László Vígh
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News Feature |
Translational research: Talking up translation
Alan Ashworth took a cancer drug from Petri dish to patients in near record speed. Daniel Cressey meets a biologist who is evangelical about translational research.
- Daniel Cressey
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News |
Aid fund faces cash crunch
Fight against tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS under threat from success.
- Declan Butler
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News |
Head of German drug agency to leave post
Board calls time on embattled director of pharmaceutical evaluation institute.
- Quirin Schiermeier
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News |
Lawsuit rekindles gene-patent debate
Criticism of exclusive licences puts university policies in the spotlight.
- Brendan Borrell
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News |
Stem-cell line given the nod
NIH moves to approve cells in limbo after rule change.
- Brendan Borrell
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News |
Healthy prions protect nerves
The proteins that can cause CJD have a vital role in the nervous system.
- Alison Abbott
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Letter |
Animal cryptochromes mediate magnetoreception by an unconventional photochemical mechanism
Animals use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation but the biophysical basis of this is unclear. The light-dependent magnetic sense of Drosophila melanogaster was recently shown to be mediated by the cryptochrome (Cry) photoreceptor; here, using a transgenic approach, the type 1 and 2 Cry of the monarch butterfly are shown to both function in the magnetoreception system of Drosophila, and probably use an unconventional photochemical mechanism.
- Robert J. Gegear
- , Lauren E. Foley
- & Steven M. Reppert
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Letter |
Genome-wide erasure of DNA methylation in mouse primordial germ cells is affected by AID deficiency
The extent of epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs) and in early embryos, and its molecular mechanisms, are poorly understood. DNA methylation profiling in PGCs now reveals a genome–wide erasure of methylation, with female PGCs being less methylated than male ones. A deficiency of the cytidine deaminase AID interferes with the genome–wide erasure of DNA methylation, indicating that AID has a critical function in epigenetic reprogramming.
- Christian Popp
- , Wendy Dean
- & Wolf Reik
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News |
Virus spreads by bouncing off infected cells
Viral ping-pong lets vaccinia get to other cells faster.
- Brian Vastag
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News |
Superbug family tree sketched out
Next-generation genome sequencing enables detailed tracking of MRSA infections.
- Lucas Laursen
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Research Highlights |
Evolutionary biology: Sperm signals
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Research Highlights |
Biochemistry: Designer label
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Research Highlights |
Neuropharmacology: Beating depression
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News |
GlaxoSmithKline goes public with malaria data
Company to place structures and properties of drug leads in the public domain.
- Declan Butler
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News |
Genomics boosts brain-cancer work
Molecular findings start to open up avenues of diagnosis and treatment.
- Erika Check Hayden
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Books & Arts |
Vision of a personal genomics future
The director of the US National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins, calls for a revolution in personalized medicine. Such advances should be shared beyond the developed world, says Abdallah S. Daar.
- Abdallah S. Daar
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News |
Brother sperm train together
Mouse sperm cells team up with their kin in the race to fertilize eggs.
- John Whitfield
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Column |
World view: Wild goose chase
Quantitative research assessment is a bad idea whose time has come, argues Colin Macilwain.
- Colin Macilwain
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Letter |
Competition drives cooperation among closely related sperm of deer mice
Sperm can increase their swimming velocity and gain a competitive advantage over sperm from another male by forming cooperative groups, such that selection should favour cooperation of the most closely related sperm. Sperm of deer mice are now shown to aggregate more often with conspecific than heterospecific sperm, in accordance with this theory, whereas in a monogamous species lacking sperm competition, sperm indiscriminately group with unrelated conspecific sperm.
- Heidi S. Fisher
- & Hopi E. Hoekstra
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News |
Geologists to evaluate future Haiti risks
Hunt for survey markers may reveal crucial data.
- Rex Dalton
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Letter |
Genome-wide RNAi screen identifies human host factors crucial for influenza virus replication
High mutation rates in the influenza A virus facilitate the generation of viral escape mutants, rendering vaccines and drugs potentially ineffective, but targeting host cell determinants could prevent viral escape. Here, 287 human host cell genes influencing influenza A virus replication are found using a genome-wide RNA interference screen. An independent assay is then used to investigate overlap between genes necessary for different viral strains.
- Alexander Karlas
- , Nikolaus Machuy
- & Thomas F. Meyer
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News |
Israel hails first steps towards funding agency
Weightier grants will provide security for biomedical researchers.
- Haim Watzman
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Editorial |
Lessons from a pandemic
It is time to assess what worked, and what didn't, in the global efforts to cope with swine flu.
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Research Highlights |
Neuroscience: Dark migraine relief
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Research Highlights |
Immunology: Double punch for HIV
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News Feature |
Neuroscience: The most vulnerable brains
An increase in premature births means that more babies are at risk of neurological damage. Erika Check Hayden talks with researchers who are developing ways to help these children.
- Erika Check Hayden
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Editorial |
Call for a bigger vision
Science in Canada cannot realize its full potential without clear direction from government.
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Opinion |
Canada needs a polar policy
A lack of coordination in Arctic research funding leaves scientists without the support they need for fieldwork. John England outlines how Canada can set things right, and show leadership in the north.
- John England
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News Feature |
Swine flu: Crisis communicator
Richard Besser led the United States' top public-health agency as swine flu broke out on its doorstep. And his communication shaped the early days of a pandemic, finds Brendan Maher.
- Brendan Maher
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News |
Streamlined chemical tests rebuffed
Europe impedes introduction of REACH safety assessments.
- Natasha Gilbert
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Letter |
Interaction between RasV12 and scribbled clones induces tumour growth and invasion
In human tumours, complex cell interactions in the tumour and its microenvironment are thought to have an important role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. In a genetically well-defined model system in Drosophila, clones of cells bearing different mutations are now shown to cooperate to promote tumour growth and invasion. This interaction involves JNK signalling propagation and JNK-induced upregulation of JAK/STAT-activating cytokines.
- Ming Wu
- , José Carlos Pastor-Pareja
- & Tian Xu
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Article |
Targeting Bcr–Abl by combining allosteric with ATP-binding-site inhibitors
GNF-2 is a recently discovered, selective allosteric Bcr–Abl inhibitor. Solution NMR, X-ray crystallography, mutagenesis and hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry are now used to show that GNF-2 binds to the myristate-binding site of Abl, leading to changes in the structural dynamics of the ATP-binding site. The results show that the combination of allosteric and ATP-competitive inhibitors can overcome resistance to either agent alone.
- Jianming Zhang
- , Francisco J. Adrián
- & Nathanael S. Gray
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News |
Bisphenol A link to heart disease confirmed
Second study supports an association between the controversial chemical and cardiovascular problems.
- Brendan Borrell