Table of contents
Volume 461 Number 7267 pp1027-1162
(this content only available online) indicates content that is available online only
Editorials
Climate of compromise p1027
The chances of a strong treaty emerging from the United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen seem small, but recent progress offers hope.
doi:10.1038/4611027a
Russia's grand plan p1028
The creation of a second pillar of excellence will give the country a chance to regain its scientific stature.
doi:10.1038/4611028a
Research Highlights
Behaviour: Dislikeable likeness p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030a
Bionanosensing: Picky chips p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030b
Atmospheric science: Fire down under p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030c
Biochemistry: Hungry circadian clock p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030d
Physics: Stars in a pellet p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030e
Cell biology: Golgi stretch p1030
doi:10.1038/4611030f
Cancer biology: Metastatic mayhem p1031
doi:10.1038/4611031a
Immunology: Gut response p1031
doi:10.1038/4611031b
Ecology: Digging diversity p1031
doi:10.1038/4611031c
Palaeontology: Transition fossil p1031
doi:10.1038/4611031d
News
News briefing: 22 October 2009 p1032
The week in science.
doi:10.1038/4611032a
Time running out for climate talks p1034
Rift between developed and developing nations might be too great.
Jeff Tollefson
doi:10.1038/4611034a
Hwang verdict imminent p1035
Disgraced stem-cell researcher may face time in jail.
David Cyranoski
doi:10.1038/4611035a
High hopes for Russia's nanotech firms p1036
But an ambitious government initiative has been slow to incubate a domestic high-tech industry.
Quirin Schiermeier
doi:10.1038/4611036a
Hazy goals hold up conservation p1037
Lack of targets hampers efforts to save species.
Linda Nordling
doi:10.1038/4611037a
Europe's Galileo project gains ground p1039
Long-troubled satellite-navigation system receives formal backing from European Commission president.
Katharine Sanderson
doi:10.1038/4611039a
Fossil primate challenges Ida's place p1040
Controversial German specimen is related to lemurs, not humans, analysis of an Egyptian find suggests.
Rex Dalton
doi:10.1038/4611040a
Announcement p1040
doi:10.1038/4611040b
Transgenic aubergine put on ice p1041
Indian minister delays approval of GM crop.
K. S. Jayaraman
doi:10.1038/4611041a
Correction p1041
doi:10.1038/4611041b
News Features
Climate: When the ice melts p1042
Deep in the Himalayas, the disappearance of glaciers is threatening the kingdom of Bhutan. Anjali Nayar trekked through the mountains to see how the country is adapting to a warming world.
doi:10.1038/4611042a
Climate: Counting carbon in the Amazon p1048
If the next climate treaty tackles deforestation, tropical nations will need to monitor the biomass of their forests. One ecologist has worked out a way to do that from the sky, finds Jeff Tollefson.
doi:10.1038/4611048a
Correspondence
Sharing: project will make climate data freely available to all p1053
Don Gunasekera
doi:10.1038/4611053a
Sharing: public databases combat mistrust and secrecy p1053
Andrew A. Farke, Michael P. Taylor & Mathew J. Wedel
doi:10.1038/4611053b
Sharing: guidelines go one step forwards, two steps back p1053
Jelte Wicherts & Marjan Bakker
doi:10.1038/4611053c
UK red tape as sticky as the US version for would-be students p1053
Colin Stoneking
doi:10.1038/4611053d
Opinion
India pushes for common responsibility p1054
Rajendra K. Pachauri says that India wants to be a constructive partner in Copenhagen negotiations on climate change. The country is taking domestic action even though it cannot accept mandatory emissions limits.
Rajendra K. Pachauri
doi:10.1038/4611054a
China expects leadership from rich nations p1055
Greater emissions cuts by developed nations are the starting point for a successful climate deal at Copenhagen in December says Jiahua Pan.
Jiahua Pan
doi:10.1038/4611055a
Copenhagen needs a strong lead negotiator p1056
Reaching an international climate agreement requires someone with exceptional skill, knowledge and diplomacy, says Kyoto chair Raúl Estrada-Oyuela.
Raúl Estrada-Oyuela.
doi:10.1038/4611056a
Books and Arts
Conveying the campaign message p1058
The arts and advertising can galvanise public and political will in tackling global warming. But shared concern for human health is a better motivator than polar bears, finds Sanjay Khanna.
Sanjay Khanna
doi:10.1038/4611058a
Q&A: The science of persuasion p1059
Psychologist Robert Gifford is co-author of a recent American Psychological Association report that examined the interface between psychology and climate change. He explains what makes people receptive and how to get messages about climate science across effectively.
Sanjay Khanna
doi:10.1038/4611059a
Climate books with clout p1060
David Reay examines the evolution of books about global warming and highlights those that have had most influence on public perceptions.
David Reay
doi:10.1038/4611060a
Q&A: Architect of a sustainable future p1061
German architect Albert Speer Jr is a pioneer of sustainable building and city planning whose firm has designed ecological communities from Cologne in Germany to Shanghai in China. With the publication of a new book setting out his philosophy, he explains why we should take a more holistic approach to urban development.
John Whitfield
doi:10.1038/4611061a
News and Views
Chemical physics: Molecular conformations fielded p1063
Studies of molecular dynamics can be foiled by the presence of stereoisomers — molecules that have the same bond sequence arranged in different geometries. This problem has now been deflected.
Albert Stolow
doi:10.1038/4611063a
Solar System: Saturn's colossal ring p1064
A hitherto undetected disk of debris around Saturn is the largest ever found to be orbiting a planet. This ring may hold the key to one of the most enigmatic landscapes in the Solar System.
Matthew S. Tiscareno & Matthew M. Hedman
doi:10.1038/4611064a
See also: Editor's summary
Climate change: Early survival of Antarctic ice p1065
Analyses of boron isotopes in ancient marine carbonate sediments provide an enlightening perspective on the links between carbon dioxide and ice-cap cover at a climatically momentous time in Earth's history.
Damien Lemarchand
doi:10.1038/4611065a
See also: Editor's summary
Ecology: Kelp in postglacial time p1066
Tim Lincoln
doi:10.1038/4611066a
Molecular biology: Slip sliding on DNA p1067
Dedicated binding proteins stabilize single-stranded DNA, protecting it from breakage and distortion. Once thought to form inert complexes with DNA, such proteins are now shown to be remarkably mobile.
Nicholas P. George & James L. Keck
doi:10.1038/4611067a
See also: Editor's summary
50 & 100 years ago p1068
doi:10.1038/4611068b
Biochemistry: Enzyme's black box cracked open p1068
Polyketide synthase enzymes make compounds from molecules that synthetic chemists can't easily control. The basis of the enzymes' ability to use such unstable precursors has been laid bare.
David H. Sherman
doi:10.1038/4611068a
See also: Editor's summary
Microscopy: Light from the dark p1069
Fluorescence microscopy is the most popular way to image biomolecules, but it leaves many of them in the dark. Non-fluorescent, light-absorbing molecules can now be viewed by a method that turns them into mini-lasers.
Stefan W. Hell & Eva Rittweger
doi:10.1038/4611069a
See also: Editor's summary
Brief Communications Arising
Silk production from tarantula feet questioned pE9
Fernando Pérez-Miles, Alejandra Panzera, David Ortiz-Villatoro & Cintya Perdomo
doi:10.1038/nature08404
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (169K)
Gorb et al. reply pE9
Stanislav N. Gorb, Senta Niederegger, Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Adam P. Summers, Walter Vötsch & Paul Walther
doi:10.1038/nature08405
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (169K)
Review
The DNA-damage response in human biology and disease p1071
Stephen P. Jackson & Jiri Bartek
doi:10.1038/nature08467
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (463K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Articles
A role for a neo-sex chromosome in stickleback speciation p1079
Closely related species often have different sex-chromosome systems, but it is not known whether sex-chromosome turnover contributes to the evolution of reproductive isolation between species. Here, a neo-sex chromosome is identified in only one member of a sympatric species pair of stickleback fish in Japan. The newly evolved sex chromosome is found to contain genes that contribute to speciation, suggesting that sex-chromosome turnover might have a greater role in speciation than was previously appreciated.
Jun Kitano, Joseph A. Ross, Seiichi Mori, Manabu Kume, Felicity C. Jones, Yingguang F. Chan, Devin M. Absher, Jane Grimwood, Jeremy Schmutz, Richard M. Myers, David M. Kingsley & Catherine L. Peichel
doi:10.1038/nature08441
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (647K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Pten in stromal fibroblasts suppresses mammary epithelial tumours p1084
The tumour microenvironment has an important role in tumorigenesis. Here, the genetic inactivation of Pten in stromal fibroblasts of mouse mammary glands is shown to accelerate the initiation, progression and malignant transformation of mammary epithelial tumours. The data presented suggest that the Pten–Ets2 axis — Ets2 being a transcription factor activated by the loss of Pten — is a critical stroma-specific signalling pathway that suppresses mammary epithelial tumours.
Anthony J. Trimboli, Carmen Z. Cantemir-Stone, Fu Li, Julie A. Wallace, Anand Merchant, Nicholas Creasap, John C. Thompson, Enrico Caserta, Hui Wang, Jean-Leon Chong, Shan Naidu, Guo Wei, Sudarshana M. Sharma, Julie A. Stephens, Soledad A. Fernandez, Metin N. Gurcan, Michael B. Weinstein, Sanford H. Barsky, Lisa Yee, Thomas J. Rosol, Paul C. Stromberg, Michael L. Robinson, Francois Pepin, Michael Hallett, Morag Park, Michael C. Ostrowski & Gustavo Leone
doi:10.1038/nature08486
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,690K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
SSB protein diffusion on single-stranded DNA stimulates RecA filament formation p1092
During DNA metabolism, single-stranded DNA intermediates are often generated that are protected from degradation by binding of ssDNA-binding (SSB) proteins. Bacterial SSB protein forms a tetramer that wraps ssDNA using its four subunits. Here it is shown that tetrameric SSB protein can spontaneously migrate along ssDNA; this diffusional movement introducing a new model for the redistribution of the SSB protein, while remaining bound to ssDNA during recombination and repair processes.
Rahul Roy, Alexander G. Kozlov, Timothy M. Lohman & Taekjip Ha
doi:10.1038/nature08442
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,316K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by George & Keck
Letters
Saturn's largest ring p1098
In the Solar System, planetary rings tend to lie within a few radii of their host body, because at these distances gravitational accelerations inhibit satellite formation. One of the best known exceptions to this rule is Saturn's E ring, a broad sheet of dust continuously supplied by source satellites that fades from view at five to ten planetary radii. An enormous ring associated with Saturn's outer moon Phoebe is now reported; it extends from at least 128 to 207 Saturn radii.
Anne J. Verbiscer, Michael F. Skrutskie & Douglas P. Hamilton
doi:10.1038/nature08515
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (636K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Tiscareno & Hedman
Information causality as a physical principle p1101
A broad class of theories exist which share the distinguishing characteristics of quantum mechanics but allow even stronger correlations. Here, the principle of 'information causality' is introduced and shown to be respected by both classical and quantum physics; however, it is violated by other models that resemble quantum mechanics but with stronger correlations. It is suggested that information causality may help to distinguish physical theories from non-physical ones.
Marcin Paw
owski,
Tomasz Paterek,
Dagomir Kaszlikowski,
Valerio Scarani,
Andreas Winter
&
Marek 
ukowski
doi:10.1038/nature08400
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (194K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Imaging chromophores with undetectable fluorescence by stimulated emission microscopy p1105
Imaging beyond the diffraction limit — to resolve tiny features in cells, for example — has had to rely on tagging the imaged substance with fluorescent chromophores or other techniques that are much less sensitive, like absorption. The use of stimulated emission (a property, unlike fluorescence, which all molecules can have) is now reported; sensitivity is orders of magnitude higher than for spontaneous emission or absorption contrast, and fluorescence is not used.
Wei Min, Sijia Lu, Shasha Chong, Rahul Roy, Gary R. Holtom & X. Sunney Xie
doi:10.1038/nature08438
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (936K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Hell & Rittweger
Atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Eocene–Oligocene climate transition p1110
It is generally accepted that declining carbon dioxide (CO2) levels were an important factor in the Eocene–Oligocene transition about 34 million years ago, when the world shifted from a greenhouse to an icehouse climate. Here, using the boron isotope pH proxy on carbonate microfossils from a recently discovered geological section in Tanzania, atmospheric CO2 levels before, during and after the climate transition are estimated.
Paul N. Pearson, Gavin L. Foster & Bridget S. Wade
doi:10.1038/nature08447
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (377K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Lemarchand
Trench-parallel anisotropy produced by serpentine deformation in the hydrated mantle wedge p1114
Although seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle is generally attributed to the crystal-preferred orientation of olivine, the strong trench-parallel anisotropy observed in several subduction systems is difficult to explain in terms of olivine anisotropy. Using high-pressure deformation experiments, it is now shown that the crystal-preferred orientation of serpentine, the main hydrous mineral in the upper mantle, can produce the strong trench-parallel seismic anisotropy observed in such subduction systems.
Ikuo Katayama, Ken-ichi Hirauchi, Katsuyoshi Michibayashi & Jun-ichi Ando
doi:10.1038/nature08513
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (749K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Convergent evolution of anthropoid-like adaptations in Eocene adapiform primates p1118
The recent description of the primitive Eocene primate Darwinius has been widely publicized as an important 'link' in the early evolution of Anthropoidea. The extinct group to which Darwinius belongs, the 'adapoid' primates, was not generally thought to be close to the anthropoids. Here, the jaw and teeth of a large-bodied adapiform from the earliest late Eocene of Egypt is described; detailed phylogenetic analysis shows that adapiforms were only very distant relatives of anthropoids but that they do have some features that suggest convergent evolution.
Erik R. Seiffert, Jonathan M. G. Perry, Elwyn L. Simons & Doug M. Boyer
doi:10.1038/nature08429
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (652K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Sleep deprivation impairs cAMP signalling in the hippocampus p1122
Sleep deprivation can have adverse cognitive effects, with one of the major consequences on the brain being memory deficits in learning models that are dependent on the hippocampus. A molecular mechanism by which brief sleep deprivation alters hippocampal function is now identified in mice; it involves the impairment of cyclic-AMP- and protein-kinase-A-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity.
Christopher G. Vecsey, George S. Baillie, Devan Jaganath, Robbert Havekes, Andrew Daniels, Mathieu Wimmer, Ted Huang, Kim M. Brown, Xiang-Yao Li, Giannina Descalzi, Susan S. Kim, Tao Chen, Yu-Ze Shang, Min Zhuo, Miles D. Houslay & Ted Abel
doi:10.1038/nature08488
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (691K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
The postsynaptic function of type II cochlear afferents p1126
The mammalian cochlea is innervated predominantly by type I sensory neurons, but also present are the far less numerous type II neurons, the function of which has been the subject of much speculation. Studies of type II fibres now show that they receive excitatory glutamatergic synaptic input and that they are depolarized by exogenous ATP. These results prove that type II neurons function as cochlear afferents, and can be modulated by ATP.
Catherine Weisz, Elisabeth Glowatzki & Paul Fuchs
doi:10.1038/nature08487
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (563K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Unexpected consequences of a sudden and massive transposon amplification on rice gene expression p1130
Most eukaryotic genomes harbour numerous transposable elements which contribute to gene and genome evolution; however, how genomic integrity is maintained in the face of high transposition is not completely understood. High-throughput sequencing of individual rice plants is now used to assess the impact of insertion on gene expression. The vast majority of transposable element insertions are found either to upregulate or to have no detectable effect on gene transcription.
Ken Naito, Feng Zhang, Takuji Tsukiyama, Hiroki Saito, C. Nathan Hancock, Aaron O. Richardson, Yutaka Okumoto, Takatoshi Tanisaka & Susan R. Wessler
doi:10.1038/nature08479
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (399K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
A transposon-induced epigenetic change leads to sex determination in melon p1135
During the development of flowering plants, sex determination leads to the physical separation of male and female flowers from an originally bisexual floral meristem. Here, in melon, the transition from male to female flowers is shown to result from epigenetic changes in the promoter of a transcription factor, CmWIP1. The data presented are used to propose a model for the control and development of male, female and hermaphrodite flowers in melon.
Antoine Martin, Christelle Troadec, Adnane Boualem, Mazen Rajab, Ronan Fernandez, Halima Morin, Michel Pitrat, Catherine Dogimont & Abdelhafid Bendahmane
doi:10.1038/nature08498
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (633K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Structural basis for biosynthetic programming of fungal aromatic polyketide cyclization p1139
Regiospecific cyclizations of reactive poly-
-keto intermediates are known to lead to the structural variability of aromatic products of fungal nonreducing, multidomain iterative polyketide synthases (NR-PKS group of IPKSs), but questions about the process remain. The crystal structure and mutational studies of a dissected product template monodomain from PksA, the NR-PKS that initiates the biosynethesis of the hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B1, are now presented.
Jason M. Crawford, Tyler P. Korman, Jason W. Labonte, Anna L. Vagstad, Eric A. Hill, Oliver Kamari-Bidkorpeh, Shiou-Chuan Tsai & Craig A. Townsend
doi:10.1038/nature08475
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (782K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Sherman
Structural basis for translational fidelity ensured by transfer RNA lysidine synthetase p1144
tRNAs are transcribed as precursor molecules that are then shortened, have a short sequence added, and may then undergo modifications of certain nucleotides to generate a different amino acid specificity. Here, tRNAIle2 lysidine synthetase (TilS) — a bacterial enzyme that carries out a nucleotide modification — is shown to specifically recognize and modify tRNAIle2 in its precursor form, thereby avoiding potential translation errors.
Kotaro Nakanishi, Luc Bonnefond, Satoshi Kimura, Tsutomu Suzuki, Ryuichiro Ishitani & Osamu Nureki
doi:10.1038/nature08474
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (648K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Technology Features
Neural circuits: Putting neurons on the map p1149
After a long lull, powerful new technologies are putting the charting of brain circuitry back on neuroscientists' agenda. Michael Eisenstein explores the challenge of mapping the mammalian mind.
Michael Eisenstein
doi:10.1038/4611149a
Neural circuits: Whose map is it anyway? p1150
doi:10.1038/4611150a
Neural circuits: Table of suppliers p1153
doi:10.1038/4611153a
Naturejobs
ProspectsGoing mobile p1157
Survey results suggest that mobile technology offers scientists both increased productivity and unwelcome intrusion. Rich Pennock speculates on the consequences.
Rich Pennock
doi:10.1038/nj7267-1157a
Careers Q&A
Stefan Söldner-Rembold p1157
A particle physicist at the University of Manchester, UK, Söldner-Rembold is the latest spokesperson elected to co-coordinate the D0 experiment, an exploration of the subatomic universe that started in 1992 at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois.
Virginia Gewin
doi:10.1038/nj7267-1157b
Region
Seeds of collaboration p1158
Academic and government labs in the Chicago area are combining forces to reel in a host of large collaborative research projects — and tens of millions of dollars in funding. Paul Smaglik sums up.
Paul Smaglik
doi:10.1038/nj7267-1158a
