Table of contents
Volume 441 Number 7091 pp255-382
In this issue (18 May 2006)
Also this week
(this content only available online) indicates content that is available online only
Editorials
No easy answers p255
Britain's regulator has taken a sensible approach to the fraught question of what kinds of genetic testing should be permitted on embryos.
doi:10.1038/441255a
Infection biology p255
Immunology and microbiology come together to fight disease.
doi:10.1038/441255b
Patents for the people p256
Peer review comes to the patent office.
doi:10.1038/441256a
News
Antibiotic faces uncertain future p260
It can kill superbugs — but may never get used.
Helen Pearson
doi:10.1038/441260a
Neanderthal DNA yields to genome foray p260
Genetic material sequenced from 45,000-year-old male.
Rex Dalton
doi:10.1038/441260b
How does a painkiller harm the heart? p262
Studies shed light on where Vioxx went wrong.
Meredith Wadman
doi:10.1038/441262a
Blogger reveals China's migratory goose farms near site of flu outbreak p263
Chinese admit breeding wild birds near Qinghai Lake.
Declan Butler
doi:10.1038/441263a
Sidelines p264
doi:10.1038/441264a
Economists claim carbon cuts won't break the world's bank p264
Price tag for reduced emissions could be lower than expected.
Jim Giles
doi:10.1038/441264b
Top five in physics p265
Novel citation index highlights hot topics.
doi:10.1038/441265a
Who is Mark Myers? p266
Nominee to head US Geological Survey is scrutinized.
Emma Merris
doi:10.1038/441266a
News Features
Visual neuroscience: Look and learn p271
Prevailing wisdom says the adult brain cannot learn to see if it had no visual stimulation during childhood, but blind people in India seem to be breaking all the rules. Apoorva Mandavilli reports.
doi:10.1038/441271a
Microbiology: Batteries not included
What can't bacteria do? p274
Among their many talents, bacteria are the world's best electrochemists, creating a life-powering flow of electrons in a startling range of conditions. In the first of two features, Nick Lane asks what limits, if any, constrain this ability. In the second, Charlotte Schubert meets the people trying to put this microbial ingenuity to practical use.
doi:10.1038/441274a
Microbiology: Batteries not included
Circuits of slime p277
doi:10.1038/441277a
Business
Japanese spin-offs face struggle for survival p280
Companies set up by academics are proliferating — but can they secure the investment they need to succeed? Ichiko Fuyuno investigates.
doi:10.1038/441280a
In brief p281
doi:10.1038/441281a
Market watch p281
Colin Macilwain
doi:10.1038/441281b
Correspondence
TGN1412: scrutinizing preclinical trials of antibody-based medicines p282
Søren Hansen and R. Graham Q. Leslie
doi:10.1038/441282a
Drug giants hamstrung by timid middle management p282
Raymond A. Firestone
doi:10.1038/441282b
ID paper wasn't impartial enough for committee p282
Yves Gingras
doi:10.1038/441282c
Supporting the use of artemisinin in combination p282
Victoria G. Hale
doi:10.1038/441282d
Commentary
Neglected tests for neglected patients p283
Alternative ways to develop diagnostic tools for use in resource-poor settings can, and do, exist, argue Martine Usdin, Martine Guillerm and Pierre Chirac of Doctors without Borders.
doi:10.1038/441283a
See also: Editor's summary
Books and Arts
From here to eternity p285
How do physicists cope with the concept of infinity in an expanding Universe?
Peter Coles reviews The Infinite Cosmos: Questions from the Frontiers of Cosmology by Joseph Silk
doi:10.1038/441285a
Lives after death p286
Steven Shapin reviews Alexander von Humboldt: A Metabiography by Nicolaas A. Rupke
doi:10.1038/441286a
A single survivor p286
Rick Shine reviews Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of a Conservation Icon by Henry Nicholls
doi:10.1038/441286b
Exhibition: Martian arts p287
doi:10.1038/441287a
Essay
ConceptTime for a change p289
Prokaryote: gene-sequence comparisons show the tree of life consists of bacteria, eukarya and archaea. The use of the term 'prokaryote' fails to recognize that an idea about life's origins has been proved wrong.
Norman R. Pace
doi:10.1038/441289a
See also: Editor's summary
News and Views
Sociobiology: The Phoenix effect p291
A spore-forming bacterium can escape from social collapse and extinction with a single mutation that has a dramatic effect. Here is evidence that a cooperative system can recover from the very brink of destruction.
Kevin R. Foster
doi:10.1038/441291a
See also: Editor's summary
Extrasolar planets: A neptunian triplet p292
Three planets of Neptune mass have been discovered orbiting a Sun-like star known to have an asteroid belt. Exquisite measurements suggest that the search for habitable planets might be easier than assumed.
David Charbonneau
doi:10.1038/441292a
See also: Editor's summary
Microbiology: Antibiotic stops 'ping-pong' match p293
As bacteria become resistant to existing drugs, there is a need for antibiotics with new modes of action. Such a compound has been found, and it works by binding to an intermediate in the catalytic cycle of its target.
Eric D. Brown
doi:10.1038/441293a
See also: Editor's summary
Solid-state physics: When is a metal not a metal? p295
When it's an insulator, of course. Materials that should in theory conduct electricity — but don't — are well known, but the anomalous behaviour of one material has caused particular head-scratching.
Steven C. Erwin
doi:10.1038/441295a
Cell biology: Skin care by keratins p296
Keratin proteins perform several functions in skin cells, including those of providing mechanical support and protection against injury. But it seems they also have a more active part to play in healing wounds.
M. Bishr Omary and Nam-On Ku
doi:10.1038/441296a
See also: Editor's summary
Plasma physics: Cool vibes p297
Ultracold plasmas blur the classical boundaries between the different states of matter. Newly observed electron-density waves could become useful probes of how electrons behave in this exotic regime.
Thomas C. Killian
doi:10.1038/441297a
Evolution: Experiments in botany p298
Henry Gee
doi:10.1038/441298a
See also: Editor's summary
Device physics: A bug-beating diode p299
A diode that emits light at a shorter wavelength than ever before shows huge — albeit destructive — technological promise. But further work is needed to ensure that this promise is fulfilled.
Asif Khan
doi:10.1038/441299a
News and Views Feature
Microbial sciences: The superficial life of microbes p300
The social activities and organization of bacteria are crucial to their ecological success. But it is only in recent years that we have begun to study these secret societies.
Roberto Kolter and E. Peter Greenberg
doi:10.1038/441300a
Brief Communications
Language evolution: Semantic combinations in primate calls p303
Putty-nosed monkeys rely on two basic calling sounds to construct a message of utmost urgency.
Kate Arnold and Klaus Zuberbühler
doi:10.1038/441303a
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (178K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Top of page
Brief Communications Arising
Immunology: Toll-like receptors and antibody responses pE4
D. Nemazee, A. Gavin, K. Hoebe and B. Beutler
doi:10.1038/nature04875
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Immunology: Toll-like receptors and antibody responses (Reply) pE4
C. Pasare and R. Medzhitov
doi:10.1038/nature04876
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Articles
An extrasolar planetary system with three Neptune-mass planets p305
Christophe Lovis, Michel Mayor, Francesco Pepe, Yann Alibert, Willy Benz, François Bouchy, Alexandre C. M. Correia, Jacques Laskar, Christoph Mordasini, Didier Queloz, Nuno C. Santos, Stéphane Udry, Jean-Loup Bertaux and Jean-Pierre Sivan
doi:10.1038/nature04828
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (860K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Charbonneau
Evolution of an obligate social cheater to a superior cooperator p310
Francesca Fiegna, Yuen-Tsu N. Yu, Supriya V. Kadam and Gregory J. Velicer
doi:10.1038/nature04677
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (268K)
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Foster
The DNA sequence and biological annotation of human chromosome 1 p315
S. G. Gregory, K. F. Barlow, K. E. McLay, R. Kaul, D. Swarbreck, A. Dunham, C. E. Scott, K. L. Howe, K. Woodfine, C. C. A. Spencer, M. C. Jones, C. Gillson, S. Searle, Y. Zhou, F. Kokocinski, L. McDonald, R. Evans, K. Phillips, A. Atkinson, R. Cooper, C. Jones, R. E. Hall, T. D. Andrews, C. Lloyd, R. Ainscough, J. P. Almeida, K. D. Ambrose, F. Anderson, R. W. Andrew, R. I. S. Ashwell, K. Aubin, A. K. Babbage, C. L. Bagguley, J. Bailey, H. Beasley, G. Bethel, C. P. Bird, S. Bray-Allen, J. Y. Brown, A. J. Brown, D. Buckley, J. Burton, J. Bye, C. Carder, J. C. Chapman, S. Y. Clark, G. Clarke, C. Clee, V. Cobley, R. E. Collier, N. Corby, G. J. Coville, J. Davies, R. Deadman, M. Dunn, M. Earthrowl, A. G. Ellington, H. Errington, A. Frankish, J. Frankland, L. French, P. Garner, J. Garnett, L. Gay, M. R. J. Ghori, R. Gibson, L. M. Gilby, W. Gillett, R. J. Glithero, D. V. Grafham, C. Griffiths, S. Griffiths-Jones, R. Grocock, S. Hammond, E. S. I. Harrison, E. Hart, E. Haugen, P. D. Heath, S. Holmes, K. Holt, P. J. Howden, A. R. Hunt, S. E. Hunt, G. Hunter, J. Isherwood, R. James, C. Johnson, D. Johnson, A. Joy, M. Kay, J. K. Kershaw, M. Kibukawa, A. M. Kimberley, A. King, A. J. Knights, H. Lad, G. Laird, S. Lawlor, D. A. Leongamornlert, D. M. Lloyd, J. Loveland, J. Lovell, M. J. Lush, R. Lyne, S. Martin, M. Mashreghi-Mohammadi, L. Matthews, N. S. W. Matthews, S. McLaren, S. Milne, S. Mistry, M. J. F. M oore, T. Nickerson, C. N. O'Dell, K. Oliver, A. Palmeiri, S. A. Palmer, A. Parker, D. Patel, A. V. Pearce, A. I. Peck, S. Pelan, K. Phelps, B. J. Phillimore, R. Plumb, J. Rajan, C. Raymond, G. Rouse, C. Saenphimmachak, H. K. Sehra, E. Sheridan, R. Shownkeen, S. Sims, C. D. Skuce, M. Smith, C. Steward, S. Subramanian, N. Sycamore, A. Tracey, A. Tromans, Z. Van Helmond, M. Wall, J. M. Wallis, S. White, S. L. Whitehead, J. E. Wilkinson, D. L. Willey, H. Williams, L. Wilming, P. W. Wray, Z. Wu, A. Coulson, M. Vaudin, J. E. Sulston, R. Durbin, T. Hubbard, R. Wooster, I. Dunham, N. P. Carter, G. McVean, M. T. Ross, J. Harrow, M. V. Olson, S. Beck, J. Rogers and D. R. Bentley
doi:10.1038/nature04727
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (210K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Letters
Suppression of dwarf galaxy formation by cosmic reionization p322
J. Stuart B. Wyithe and Abraham Loeb
doi:10.1038/nature04748
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (188K) | Supplementary information
An aluminium nitride light-emitting diode with a wavelength of 210 nanometres p325
Yoshitaka Taniyasu, Makoto Kasu and Toshiki Makimoto
doi:10.1038/nature04760
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (338K)
See also: News and Views by Khan
Links between annual, Milankovitch and continuum temperature variability p329
Peter Huybers and William Curry
doi:10.1038/nature04745
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (465K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Seismic detection of folded, subducted lithosphere at the core–mantle boundary p333
Alexander R. Hutko, Thorne Lay, Edward J. Garnero and Justin Revenaugh
doi:10.1038/nature04757
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (746K) | Supplementary information
Embryological evidence for developmental lability during early angiosperm evolution p337
William E. Friedman
doi:10.1038/nature04690
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (372K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Gee
Copper-containing plastocyanin used for electron transport by an oceanic diatom p341
Graham Peers and Neil M. Price
doi:10.1038/nature04630
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (224K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Horizontal endosymbiont transmission in hydrothermal vent tubeworms p345
Andrea D. Nussbaumer, Charles R. Fisher and Monika Bright
doi:10.1038/nature04793
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (278K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Polycomb complexes repress developmental regulators in murine embryonic stem cells p349
Laurie A. Boyer, Kathrin Plath, Julia Zeitlinger, Tobias Brambrink, Lea A. Medeiros, Tong Ihn Lee, Stuart S. Levine, Marius Wernig, Adriana Tajonar, Mridula K. Ray, George W. Bell, Arie P. Otte, Miguel Vidal, David K. Gifford, Richard A. Young and Rudolf Jaenisch
doi:10.1038/nature04733
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (529K) | Supplementary information
A TAS1R receptor-based explanation of sweet 'water-taste' p354
Veronica Galindo-Cuspinera, Marcel Winnig, Bernd Bufe, Wolfgang Meyerhof and Paul A. S. Breslin
doi:10.1038/nature04765
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (405K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Platensimycin is a selective FabF inhibitor with potent antibiotic properties p358
Jun Wang, Stephen M. Soisson, Katherine Young, Wesley Shoop, Srinivas Kodali, Andrew Galgoci, Ronald Painter, Gopalakrishnan Parthasarathy, Yui S. Tang, Richard Cummings, Sookhee Ha, Karen Dorso, Mary Motyl, Hiranthi Jayasuriya, John Ondeyka, Kithsiri Herath, Chaowei Zhang, Lorraine Hernandez, John Allocco, Ángela Basilio, José R. Tormo, Olga Genilloud, Francisca Vicente, Fernando Pelaez, Lawrence Colwell, Sang Ho Lee, Bruce Michael, Thomas Felcetto, Charles Gill, Lynn L. Silver, Jeffery D. Hermes, Ken Bartizal, John Barrett, Dennis Schmatz, Joseph W. Becker, Doris Cully and Sheo B. Singh
doi:10.1038/nature04784
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (239K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Brown
A keratin cytoskeletal protein regulates protein synthesis and epithelial cell growth p362
Seyun Kim, Pauline Wong and Pierre A. Coulombe
doi:10.1038/nature04659
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (422K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Omary & Ku
Critical role for the p110
phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase in growth and metabolic regulation p366
Lazaros C. Foukas, Marc Claret, Wayne Pearce, Klaus Okkenhaug, Stephen Meek, Emma Peskett, Sara Sancho, Andrew J. H. Smith, Dominic J. Withers and Bart Vanhaesebroeck
doi:10.1038/nature04694
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (589K) | Supplementary information
The mechanism of cell differentiation in Bacillus subtilis p371
Dagmar Iber, Joanna Clarkson, Michael D. Yudkin and Iain D. Campbell
doi:10.1038/nature04666
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (435K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Cleavage of pre-tRNAs by the splicing endonuclease requires a composite active site p375
Christopher R. Trotta, Sergey V. Paushkin, Meenal Patel, Hong Li and Stuart W. Peltz
doi:10.1038/nature04741
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (200K) | Supplementary information
Naturejobs
ProspectProspect p379
Misconduct has ripple effects beyond the perpetrator.
Paul Smaglik
doi:10.1038/nj7091-379a
Career Views
Mahendra Rao, vice-president, research, stem cells and regenerative medicine, Invitrogen, Carlsbad, California p380
Stem-cell scientist heads for industry.
Virginia Gewin
doi:10.1038/nj7091-380a
International view from Japan p380
Kyoto students reach out for international collaborators.
Keiko Muraki
doi:10.1038/nj7091-380b
The many legs of fear p380
How to avoid being 'bugged' in the lab.
Mhairi Dupre
doi:10.1038/nj7091-380c
Futures
The visible men p382
Or, down the multiversal rabbit hole.
Michael Moorcock
doi:10.1038/441382a