How jumping genes were discovered. Fedoroff, N. Nature Structural Biology April (2001).

Retrotransposons as epigenetic mediators of phenotypic variation in mammals. Whitelaw, E. & Martin, D. I. K. Nature Genetics April (2001).

The potential of nucleic acid repair in functional genomics. Rice, M. R., Czymmek , K. & Kmiec, E. B. Nature Biotechnology April (2001).

Experimental models of Parkinson's disease: pathophysiology and experimental therapies. Beal, M. F. Nature Reviews Neuroscience May (2001). A review that compares the genetic and chemical models of Parkinson's disease.

Therapeutic opportunities in polyglutamine disease. Hughes, R. E. & Olson, J. M. Nature Medicine April (2001).

Embryonic stem cell research — The case for ... Winston, R.  Embryonic stem cell research — The case against ... Antoniou, M. Nature Medicine April (2001). In early 2001, the United Kingdom became the first country to approve the creation and use of embryos for stem-cell research. These two Commentary articles, written by British experts from the field of reproductive research, illustrate how this subject elicits as much controversy in the UK biomedical research community as elsewhere.

Fanconi anemia and breast cancer: what's the connection? Youssoufian, H. Nature Genetics April (2001). A News and Views article on the recent finding that BRCA1 activity may be regulated by the ubiquitin-modified form of the Fanconi anemia D2 protein.

A hunger for cannabinoids. Mechoulam, R. & Fride, E. Nature 12 April (2001). Users of cannabis famously experience 'the munchies' caused by the appetite-enhancing effects of cannabinoid receptor signalling. This News and Views article discusses the recent knockout of a mouse cannabinoid receptor and how the resulting mutant has led to the discovery that leptin and endocannabinoids belong to a common system that regulates body weight in mice.