The structure of the Nef:AP-2 complex has been determined and used as the basis of a model that explains how HIV-1 Nef downregulates the CD4 receptor from the surface of the infected cells.
The structure of the photosystem I (PSI) complex from Synechocystis is determined, and reaction center subunits engineered to resemble a viral PSI are found to promote promiscuous electron acceptor properties.
Shigeyuki Tanaka, Thomas Brefort ... Regine Kahmann
A fungal effector secreted by the corn smut pathogen increases the virulence of the pathogen by elevating anthocyanin production and reducing lignification in maize.
Activation of CaMKII holoenzymes triggers the exchange of subunits with other holoenzymes, including unactivated ones, enabling the calcium-independent phosphorylation and activation of new subunits.
A new technique called fastFISH enables nearly real-time and stoichiometric detection of nascent RNA and the tracking of individual stages of transcription at the level of single-molecules.
Judith R Glynn, Ndoliwe Kayuni ... Amelia C Crampin
Earlier menarche leads to earlier sex, marriage, and sexually transmitted infections, so is a serious disadvantage to the life chances of a young woman.
Alexander M Herman, Longwen Huang ... Benjamin R Arenkiel
Optogenetic techniques, whereby light is used to activate neuronal cells, are quickly becoming widely used in neuroscience; but excessive exposure to light can actually silence certain types of neuronal cells.
New insights into the assembly and membrane interactions of the caveolar coat complex reveal the reversible association/dissociation of distinct subcomplexes onto the membrane, which differs from the assembly/disassembly of clathrin-coated pits.
Senthil K Radhakrishnan, Willem den Besten, Raymond J Deshaies
The enzyme p97/VCP regulates the activity of the transcription factor Nrf1 to promote increased transcription of genes that encode proteasome subunits following inhibition of the proteasome.
Daine R Lesniak, Kara L Marshall ... Ellen A Lumpkin
Computer simulations show that the firing patterns of branched touch receptors can be set in part by the organization of their sensory endings in the skin.
PTBP2 ensures that adult protein variants are expressed only in mature neurons through regulation of alternative splicing during early neuronal development.
Rishidev Chaudhuri, Alberto Bernacchia, Xiao-Jing Wang
Specific types of heterogeneity in the connectivity profile of a biological network give rise to dynamics with a hierarchy of localized temporal scales.
Systems-level analysis in vertebrate ciliated epithelial cells shows that the network of genes activated by the transcription factor Rfx2 controls the development, migration, insertion and function of these cells.
The T cell repertoire can display immunodominance to an epitope as a result of optimal positive selection in the thymus by one self-peptide/MHC ligand.
A deubiquitinase antagonizes the activity of an associated E3 ligase to prevent uncontrolled ubiquitination of a degradation machinery protein and thus maintain its functionality in protein quality control at the endoplasmic reticulum.
Roberto A Keller, Christian Peeters, Patrícia Beldade
Body shape and behavioural specializations found across the castes of ant species evolved together and reflect different abilities for ground behaviors.
Sabrina Asteriti, Claudia Gargini, Lorenzo Cangiano
Electrophysiological recordings show that cones in the eyes of mice are able to receive strong input from rods via gap junctions, supporting the view that this route plays an important role in vision.
