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

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Infection biology p255

Immunology and microbiology come together to fight disease.

doi:10.1038/441255b

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Patents for the people p256

Peer review comes to the patent office.

doi:10.1038/441256a

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Research Highlights

Research highlights p258

doi:10.1038/441258a

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News

Antibiotic faces uncertain future p260

It can kill superbugs — but may never get used.

Helen Pearson

doi:10.1038/441260a

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Neanderthal DNA yields to genome foray p260

Genetic material sequenced from 45,000-year-old male.

Rex Dalton

doi:10.1038/441260b

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How does a painkiller harm the heart? p262

Studies shed light on where Vioxx went wrong.

Meredith Wadman

doi:10.1038/441262a

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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

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Sidelines p264

doi:10.1038/441264a

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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

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Top five in physics p265

Novel citation index highlights hot topics.

doi:10.1038/441265a

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Who is Mark Myers? p266

Nominee to head US Geological Survey is scrutinized.

Emma Marris

doi:10.1038/441266a

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News in brief p268

doi:10.1038/441268a

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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

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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

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Microbiology: Batteries not included
Circuits of slime p277

doi:10.1038/441277a

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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

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In brief p281

doi:10.1038/441281a

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Market watch p281

Colin Macilwain

doi:10.1038/441281b

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Correspondence

TGN1412: scrutinizing preclinical trials of antibody-based medicines p282

Søren Hansen & R. Graham Q. Leslie

doi:10.1038/441282a

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Drug giants hamstrung by timid middle management p282

Raymond A. Firestone

doi:10.1038/441282b

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ID paper wasn't impartial enough for committee p282

Yves Gingras

doi:10.1038/441282c

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Supporting the use of artemisinin in combination p282

Victoria G. Hale

doi:10.1038/441282d

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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

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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

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Lives after death p286

Steven Shapin reviews Alexander von Humboldt: A Metabiography by Nicolaas A. Rupke

doi:10.1038/441286a

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A single survivor p286

Rick Shine reviews Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of a Conservation Icon by Henry Nicholls

doi:10.1038/441286b

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Exhibition: Martian arts p287

doi:10.1038/441287a

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Essay

Time 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 & Nam-On Ku

doi:10.1038/441296a

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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

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Evolution: Experiments in botany p298

Henry Gee

doi:10.1038/441298a

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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

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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 & E. Peter Greenberg

doi:10.1038/441300a

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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 & Klaus Zuberbühler

doi:10.1038/441303a

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (178K) | Supplementary information

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Brief Communications Arising

Immunology: Toll-like receptors and antibody responses pE4

D. Nemazee, A. Gavin, K. Hoebe & B. Beutler

doi:10.1038/nature04875

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (103K)

Immunology: Toll-like receptors and antibody responses (Reply) pE4

C. Pasare & 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 & 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 & 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 & D. R. Bentley

doi:10.1038/nature04727

Abstract | Full Text | PDF (319K) | Supplementary information

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Letters

Suppression of dwarf galaxy formation by cosmic reionization p322

J. Stuart B. Wyithe & 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 & Toshiki Makimoto

doi:10.1038/nature04760

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See also: News and Views by Khan

Links between annual, Milankovitch and continuum temperature variability p329

Peter Huybers & William Curry

doi:10.1038/nature04745

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (465K) | Supplementary information

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Seismic detection of folded, subducted lithosphere at the core–mantle boundary p333

Alexander R. Hutko, Thorne Lay, Edward J. Garnero & Justin Revenaugh

doi:10.1038/nature04757

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Embryological evidence for developmental lability during early angiosperm evolution p337

William E. Friedman

doi:10.1038/nature04690

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Copper-containing plastocyanin used for electron transport by an oceanic diatom p341

Graham Peers & Neil M. Price

doi:10.1038/nature04630

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Horizontal endosymbiont transmission in hydrothermal vent tubeworms p345

Andrea D. Nussbaumer, Charles R. Fisher & Monika Bright

doi:10.1038/nature04793

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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 & 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 & Paul A. S. Breslin

doi:10.1038/nature04765

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (405K) | Supplementary information

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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 & Sheo B. Singh

doi:10.1038/nature04784

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A keratin cytoskeletal protein regulates protein synthesis and epithelial cell growth p362

Seyun Kim, Pauline Wong & Pierre A. Coulombe

doi:10.1038/nature04659

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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 & 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 & Iain D. Campbell

doi:10.1038/nature04666

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Cleavage of pre-tRNAs by the splicing endonuclease requires a composite active site p375

Christopher R. Trotta, Sergey V. Paushkin, Meenal Patel, Hong Li & Stuart W. Peltz

doi:10.1038/nature04741

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (200K) | Supplementary information

Naturejobs

Prospect p379

Misconduct has ripple effects beyond the perpetrator.

Paul Smaglik

doi:10.1038/nj7091-379a

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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

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International view from Japan p380

Kyoto students reach out for international collaborators.

Keiko Muraki

doi:10.1038/nj7091-380b

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The many legs of fear p380

How to avoid being 'bugged' in the lab.

Mhairi Dupre

doi:10.1038/nj7091-380c

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Futures

The visible men p382

Or, down the multiversal rabbit hole.

Michael Moorcock

doi:10.1038/441382a

Full Text | PDF (228K)