The EMBO reports special issue on The Future Of Our Species is available online. Global climate change, space exploration, disease, genetic enhancement, evolution and extended lifespans are just some of the topics addressed by the authors. Humankind is facing both its greatest challenges and its biggest opportunities; how we deal with each may well determine the future of our species.
Dynamic states of AlkB regulate product release AlkB is a versatile bacterial DNA repair enzyme. The biophysical characterization of its catalytic intermediates reveals a highly dynamic enzyme-product complex. Boris Bleijlevens and colleagues further propose that such dynamics are essential for product release and DNA damage recognition.
PCSK9 and the disposal of intermediates of BACE1 Following on from the acetylation of the Alzheimer secretase BACE1, the Puglielli lab shows that PCSK9 is needed for the disposal of non-acetylated BACE1. Another membrane protein, LDLr, is also acetylated and disposed of by PCSK9 suggesting a more general role for PCSK9 in the disposal of non-acetylated intermediates of nascent membrane proteins.
CYLD and the RIG-I-mediated anti-viral response In this report, the Ting lab sheds light on the regulation of the RIG-I-mediated immune response and shows that CYLD deubiquitinates RIG-I and TBK-1 and negatively regulates the innate antiviral response.
The EMBO Journal is a print and online publication dedicated to providing a variety of complete and rapidly published articles in all areas of molecular biology. It is one of the most highly cited journals, reflected in its latest impact factor of 8.662*