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Progress comes from the latest investigations into a long-standing question in immunology — the role of the immune system in maintaining small, potentially cancerous lesions in a state of dormancy.
To set the scene for its replication, the bacterium Legionella pneumophila exploits its host cells' Rab1 protein. This pathogen seems to use minimal resources to mimic the normal cycle of Rab1 activity.
G-protein-coupled receptors govern many biological functions, yet little is known about the molecular basis of their activity. The structure of a prominent example of these receptors is now revealed.
The most sensitive phase-measuring instrument yet uses quantum trickery and a scaled-down version of the notorious Schrödinger's cat. It means that more sensitive devices for metrology and imaging could be on the way.
The Moon could have been derived from a well-mixed disk of rock vapour that was produced after the early Earth collided with another planet. This persuasive idea offers a fresh perspective on the history of both bodies.
The amount of river-borne carbon that is buried upon reaching the sea affects Earth's atmospheric composition. A study of rivers draining the Himalaya shows that carbon burial may occur more efficiently than was thought.
“Do not speak — unless it improves on silence” is generally wise advice, and is even vital for a subset of essential genes. New studies describe how, when appropriate, the silence of these genes is broken.
Compared with the masterpiece crafted by nature, even Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings of the cardiovascular system seem primitive. In creating this system, nature seems to use blood flow as its paintbrush.
A commonly used blue dye is more than just a pretty colour. This material and its relatives are semiconductors, and their magnetic properties can be controlled by engineering their crystal structure.
Predicting the three-dimensional structure of a protein from its amino-acid sequence is a dauntingly complex task. But with colossal computer power and knowledge of other structures, it can be done.
Saturn's nominal rotation period is timed by a 'radio clock' that counts bursts of emissions controlled by the planet's magnetic field. Buffeting by the solar wind may explain the clock's irregularities.
The life-histories of pike adjust quickly to shifts in the opposing forces of fishing and natural selection. Such rapid changes suggest that evolutionary dynamics must be incorporated into fisheries management.
The genomes of 12 fly species have been analysed comparatively. Why should we care? Because sequences that have resisted the selective forces of evolution from fly to human must have functional significance.
It will be a long experimental haul before the great potential of quantum effects can routinely be exploited for technological ends. A sense of practical purpose among researchers will encourage progress.
The worm Caenorhabditis elegans has many advantages as an experimental organism. These have been exploited to investigate how, at a single-neuron level, neural circuits transform sensory signals into behaviour.
The properties of flat aromatic molecules are well known to chemists, but some non-planar aromatics remain a mystery. A molecule that can twist into a Möbius band on command might shed light on their features.
