Table of contents
Volume 460 Number 7255 pp551-658
(this content only available online) indicates content that is available online only
Editorials
Information overload p551
A report released last week by the US National Academies makes recommendations for tackling the issues surrounding the era of petabyte science.
doi:10.1038/460551a
The shale revolution p551
The vast reserves of US natural gas must be used judiciously to ease the transition to clean energy.
doi:10.1038/460551b
Inspiring non-scientists p552
Those wishing to reveal scientific ideas should learn from the engaging style of TED conference talks.
doi:10.1038/460552a
Research Highlights
Biology: Chill bill p554
doi:10.1038/460554a
Phytology: Tree carbon recalibrated? p554
doi:10.1038/460554b
Nanochemistry: Protein fondue p554
doi:10.1038/460554c
Cancer biology: Cancer's metabolic roots p554
doi:10.1038/460554d
Microfluidics: The sounds of science p554
doi:10.1038/460554e
Earth monitoring: Tsunamis from space p555
doi:10.1038/460555a
Chemistry: A one-pot shot p555
doi:10.1038/460555b
Behaviour: Why 'there's never just one' p555
doi:10.1038/460555c
Physics: A cold shake p555
doi:10.1038/460555d
Development: Starting from scratch p555
doi:10.1038/460555e
News
Biodefence lab criticized p556
US lawmakers investigate site choice of planned facility.
Elie Dolgin
doi:10.1038/460556a
Physicians fight back against disclosure rules p556
Pressure group calls for stronger links with industry.
Cassandra Willyard
doi:10.1038/460556b
European body told to cut free p557
Review highlights hurdles faced by Europe's research council.
Natasha Gilbert
doi:10.1038/news.2009.729
LHC students face data drought p558
Computer simulations are the only option when the world's largest particle accelerator isn't working.
Geoff Brumfiel
doi:10.1038/460558a
Italy introduces performance-related funding p559
Agency to evaluate research is launched.
Alison Abbott
doi:10.1038/460559a
Forest growth studies begin to turn up the heat p559
Researchers aim to assess the effects of rising air temperature.
Heidi Ledford
doi:10.1038/460559b
Mice made from induced stem cells p560
Technical feat shows that the different route to stem cells can indeed make a full mammal body.
David Cyranoski
doi:10.1038/460560a
Legal battle may reshape nanotechnology firm p561
Oxonica loses appeal over fuel additive.
Katharine Sanderson
doi:10.1038/460561a
US puts flu vaccines on trial p562
NIAID director Anthony Fauci explains testing strategy.
Declan Butler
doi:10.1038/460562a
German research bodies draft synthetic-biology plan p563
doi:10.1038/460563a
Step-by-step rating system set to improve African labs p563
doi:10.1038/460563b
UK government urged to disclose evidence base p563
doi:10.1038/460563c
Mauna Kea adds to its family of telescopes p563
doi:10.1038/460563d
Genetic barcode for plants close to agreement p563
doi:10.1038/460563e
Lucky find of undersea methane bubbles p563
doi:10.1038/460563f
News Features
Wind power: High hopes p564
A vast supply of energy is racing around the planet far above the surface. Erik Vance meets the engineers trying to bring the power of high-altitude wind down to earth.
doi:10.1038/460564a
Immunology: Lights, camera, infection p568
Multiphoton microscopy is allowing immunologists to watch infections as they happen. Jeanne Erdmann pulls up a seat.
doi:10.1038/460568a
Correspondence
Flu: vaccinate to cut risk of chimaeric virus emerging p571
Ilaria Capua & Giovanni Cattoli, OIE
doi:10.1038/460571a
Flu: weighing up conflicting expert information p571
Erwin van Rijswoud
doi:10.1038/460571b
Where will we find the tritium to fuel hybrid reactors? p571
J. H. Evans
doi:10.1038/460571c
Essay
The invention of heroes p572
The Western public's misapprehension that genius in science is always male and caucasian is partly a legacy of Victorian politics, says Christine MacLeod.
Christine MacLeod
doi:10.1038/460572a
Books and Arts
A break from the bench p574
Nature regulars give their recommendations for relaxed, inspiring holiday reading and viewing — from climate-change history to Isaac Newton the detective.
David Poeppel, Mike Brown, Susan Solomon, Jerry A. Coyne, Ming-Wei Wang, Jonathan Zittrain, Carl Zimmer, Felice Frankel, Hugh Young Rienhoff, Bruce Hood, Neil Shubin, Eugenie Scott, Sandra Knapp & Adam Kepecs
doi:10.1038/460574a
News and Views
Optics: All smoke and metamaterials p579
An illusion device, placed near but not enclosing an object of arbitrary shape, manipulates and transforms light scattered off the object so as to give it the appearance of a completely different object.
John Pendry
doi:10.1038/460579a
Structural biology: Trimeric ion-channel design p580
Cavernous chambers, intricate passages, a gate with a curious lock — the structure of an ATP-activated ion channel reveals its architecture. And this intriguing interior design is found in another type of ion channel too.
Shai D. Silberberg & Kenton J. Swartz
doi:10.1038/460580a
See also: Editor's summary
Oceanography: A fishy mix p581
Ocean life is in almost constant motion, and such activity must surely stir things up. Innovative investigations into this concept of 'biogenic mixing' show a role for jellyfish and their brethren.
William K. Dewar
doi:10.1038/460581a
See also: Editor's summary
Planetary science: Windy clues to Saturn's spin p582
Saturn's rotation period has been a mystery. An estimate based on its meteorology comes with implications for our understanding of the planet's atmospheric jet streams and interior structure.
Adam P. Showman
doi:10.1038/460582a
See also: Editor's summary
Earth science: Trickle-down geodynamics p583
Analysis of the platinum-group elements in a particular type of ancient volcanic rock provides clues about Earth's early history as well as a fresh approach to understanding mantle dynamics.
Nicholas Arndt
doi:10.1038/460583a
See also: Editor's summary
Developmental biology: Skeletal muscle comes of age p584
A regulatory protein thought to be crucial for maintaining the muscle stem-cell pool throughout life is shown to be dispensable in the adult. Muscle biologists are left wondering what fundamental things apply as time goes by.
Terry Partridge
doi:10.1038/460584a
See also: Editor's summary
Supramolecular chemistry: Phosphorus caged p585
Violent criminals are imprisoned to keep them under control. Similarly, incarceration in a molecular jail stops white phosphorus from bursting into flames — but on release, it regains its fiery character.
Kenneth N. Raymond
doi:10.1038/460585a
Review
Recent progress in the biology and physiology of sirtuins p587
Toren Finkel, Chu-Xia Deng & Raul Mostoslavsky
doi:10.1038/nature08197
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (811K)
See also: Editor's summary
Brief Communications Arising
Biased reptilian palaeothermometer? pE1
J. M. Kale Sniderman
doi:10.1038/nature08222
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (258K)
Re-calibrating the snake palaeothermometer pE2
Anastassia M. Makarieva, Victor G. Gorshkov & Bai-Lian Li
doi:10.1038/nature08223
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (258K)
Can the giant snake predict palaeoclimate? pE3
Mark W. Denny, Brent L. Lockwood & George N. Somero
doi:10.1038/nature08224
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (258K)
Head et al. reply pE4
Jason J. Head, Jonathan I. Bloch, Alexander K. Hastings, Jason R. Bourque, Edwin A. Cadena, Fabiany A. Herrera, P. David Polly & Carlos A. Jaramillo
doi:10.1038/nature08225
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (259K)
Articles
Crystal structure of the ATP-gated P2X4 ion channel in the closed state p592
P2X receptors are ATP-gated cation channels that are implicated in diverse physiological processes, from synaptic transmission to inflammation to the sensing of taste and pain. The crystal structure of the zebrafish P2X4 channel is now solved in its closed state, revealing some of the molecular underpinnings of ligand-binding, cation entry and channel gating.
Toshimitsu Kawate, Jennifer Carlisle Michel, William T. Birdsong & Eric Gouaux
doi:10.1038/nature08198
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,757K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Silberberg & Swartz
Pore architecture and ion sites in acid-sensing ion channels and P2X receptors p599
Like P2X receptors, acid-sensing ion channels are trimeric in structure; however, they belong to an entirely different family. Here, the structure of an acid-sensing ion channel is presented and compared to the structure of P2X4, suggesting that these functionally distinct channels use similar mechanistic principles.
Eric B. Gonzales, Toshimitsu Kawate & Eric Gouaux
doi:10.1038/nature08218
PDB code
3D view
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,250K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Silberberg & Swartz
Letters
Resonant stripping as the origin of dwarf spheroidal galaxies p605
The origin of dwarf spheroidal galaxies is one of the outstanding puzzles of how galaxies form. Previous theories require that they orbit near giant galaxies like the Milky Way, but some dwarfs have been observed in the outskirts of the Local Group. Here, simulations of encounters between dwarf disk galaxies and somewhat larger dwarfs yield results that may account for some of the observed properties of dwarf spheroidals in the Local Group.
Elena D'Onghia, Gurtina Besla, Thomas J. Cox & Lars Hernquist
doi:10.1038/nature08215
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (262K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Saturn's rotation period from its atmospheric planetary-wave configuration p608
The rotation period of a gas giant's magnetic field (the System III reference frame) is commonly used to infer its bulk rotation, but this approach cannot be used for Saturn because its dipole magnetic field is not tilted relative to its rotation axis. Consequently, the surrogate measure of long-wavelength radiation is used to fix the System III rotation period. The period as recently measured by the Cassini spacecraft is up to 7 minutes longer than the value measured 28 years ago by Voyager. Here, a determination of Saturn's rotation period is reported, based on an analysis of potential vorticity.
P. L. Read, T. E. Dowling & G. Schubert
doi:10.1038/nature08194
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (219K)
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Showman
A 'granocentric' model for random packing of jammed emulsions p611
A simple underlying mechanism for the random assembly of granular particles, analogous to crystalline ordering, remains unknown. Here however, three-dimensional measurements of packings of polydisperse emulsion droplets are used to build a statistical model where the complexity of the global packing can be understood in terms of two simple, local parameters — the available space around a particle and the ratio of contacts to neighbours.
Maxime Clusel,
Eric I. Corwin,
Alexander O. N. Siemens
&
Jasna Bruji
doi:10.1038/nature08158
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (657K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Carbon respiration from subsurface peat accelerated by climate warming in the subarctic p616
The feedback between the terrestrial carbon cycle and climate is one of the largest uncertainties in current projections of future climate, with the long-term sensitivity of carbon in peatlands remaining unclear. The combination of non-disturbing in situ measurements of carbon dioxide respiration rates and isotopic composition of respired CO2 in subarctic peatland experiments now shows that warming accelerates respiration rates of these subsurface carbon reservoirs to a much larger extent than was previously thought.
Ellen Dorrepaal, Sylvia Toet, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, Elferra Swart, Martine J. van de Weg, Terry V. Callaghan & Rien Aerts
doi:10.1038/nature08216
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (291K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Progressive mixing of meteoritic veneer into the early Earth's deep mantle p620
Komatiites are ancient volcanic rocks, mostly from the Archaean era, that formed through high degrees of partial melting of the mantle and therefore provide reliable information on bulk mantle compositions. Here it is shown that most early Archaean komatiites from the Barberton greenstone belt of South Africa and the Pilbara craton of Western Australia are depleted in platinum group elements (PGEs) relative to late Archaean and younger komatiites, and the variations of this depletion with time suggests that PGE-enriched cosmic material was progressively mixed into the deep mantle.
Wolfgang D. Maier, Stephen J. Barnes, Ian H. Campbell, Marco L. Fiorentini, Petri Peltonen, Sarah-Jane Barnes & R. Hugh Smithies
doi:10.1038/nature08205
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (218K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Arndt
A viscosity-enhanced mechanism for biogenic ocean mixing p624
Sir Charles Darwin, grandson of the famous evolutionary pioneer, was a physicist who suggested that swimming animals might contribute significantly to the mixing of water in the ocean. Here, observations of swimming jellyfish are used to create and validate a theoretical model for the relative contributions of Darwinian mixing and turbulent wake mixing. The contribution of living organisms to ocean mixing is found to be substantial — in the same order of magnitude as winds and tides.
Kakani Katija & John O. Dabiri
doi:10.1038/nature08207
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (418K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Dewar
Adult satellite cells and embryonic muscle progenitors have distinct genetic requirements p627
The myogenic determinant Pax7 is thought to have a critical role in adult muscle stem cells (satellite cells), but a formal demonstration has been lacking in vivo. Here it is shown that, unexpectedly, when Pax7 is inactivated in adult mice, mutant satellite cells are not compromised in muscle regeneration. Multiple time points of gene inactivation reveal that Pax7 is only required up to the juvenile period, indicating an age-dependent change in the genetic requirement for muscle stem cells.
Christoph Lepper, Simon J. Conway & Chen-Ming Fan
doi:10.1038/nature08209
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,279K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Partridge
Presenilins are essential for regulating neurotransmitter release p632
Mutations in the presenilin genes are associated with familial cases of Alzheimer's disease, but the precise site and nature of the synaptic dysfunction remain unknown. Using a genetic approach to selectively inactivate presenilins in a mouse model, it has been possible to demonstrate that they act in the presynaptic compartment to control the activity-dependent efficacy of neurotransmitter release, a process essential for neuronal computation, learning and memory.
Chen Zhang, Bei Wu, Vassilios Beglopoulos, Mary Wines-Samuelson, Dawei Zhang, Ioannis Dragatsis, Thomas C. Südhof & Jie Shen
doi:10.1038/nature08177
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,305K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Macrophage elastase kills bacteria within murine macrophages p637
Macrophages possess several substances with which they can kill bacteria, including reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and antimicrobial proteins. Here, macrophage elastase, an enzyme implicated in several disease processes including emphysema, is shown to have direct antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
A. McGarry Houghton, William O. Hartzell, Clinton S. Robbins, F. Xavier Gomis-Rüth & Steven D. Shapiro
doi:10.1038/nature08181
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (646K)
See also: Editor's summary
MicroRNA-mediated switching of chromatin-remodelling complexes in neural development p642
During development of the vertebrate nervous system, a switch in the subunit composition of the BAF chromatin-remodelling complex occurs when cells lose multipotency and begin to develop stable connections that will persist for a lifetime. Here, the switch in BAF subunits is shown to be mediated by two microRNAs that are selectively expressed in post-mitotic neurons.
Andrew S. Yoo, Brett T. Staahl, Lei Chen & Gerald R. Crabtree
doi:10.1038/nature08139
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (817K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Evidence of Xist RNA-independent initiation of mouse imprinted X-chromosome inactivation p647
Female mammals undergo silencing of most genes on one of their two X chromosomes in a process termed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). In placental mammals, the non-coding RNA Xist is thought to trigger XCI. Here it is demonstrated that silencing of the paternal X chromosome (Xp) is able to initiate in the absence of paternal Xist; Xist is, however, required to stabilize silencing along the Xp.
Sundeep Kalantry, Sonya Purushothaman, Randall Bryant Bowen, Joshua Starmer & Terry Magnuson
doi:10.1038/nature08161
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (967K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Corrigendum
Hedgehog signalling is essential for maintenance of cancer stem cells in myeloid leukaemia p652
Chen Zhao, Alan Chen, Catriona H. Jamieson, Mark Fereshteh, Annelie Abrahamsson, Jordan Blum, Hyog Young Kwon, Jynho Kim, John P. Chute, David Rizzieri, Michael Munchhof, Todd VanArsdale, Philip A. Beachy & Tannishtha Reya
doi:10.1038/nature08255
Naturejobs
ProspectsBalancing belief and bioscience p654
Can religious belief really be reconciled with a life in science? Gene Russo contemplates the contradictions.
Gene Russo
doi:10.1038/nj7255-654a
News
California scrambles to find money for pay p654
Many fear university's science enterprise will crumble.
Karen Kaplan
doi:10.1038/nj7255-654b
Careers Q&A
Lucila Ohno-Machado p655
Inaugural chief of the Division of Biomedical Informatics at the University of California, San Diego.
doi:10.1038/nj7255-655a
Postdoc journal
A lack of funding p655
Feeling the effects of the economic downturn.
Julia Boughner
doi:10.1038/nj7255-655b
In Brief
Germany seeks applicants p655
Third phase of excellence awards is launched.
doi:10.1038/nj7255-655c
UK bioscience boost p655
Research council set to award 16 fellowships.
doi:10.1038/nj7255-655d
Stimulus for US science p655
Energy research gets boost in US stimulus funds.
doi:10.1038/nj7255-655e
