Alan Alda - p1325

George S Mack

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1325

Alan Alda is not only a beloved actor, producer, writer and activist, but also a skilled science communicator. Those aiming to talk effectively to the public about biotech research would do well to follow his lead.

Abstract - | Full Text - Alan Alda | PDF (112 KB) - Alan Alda

Biotech patents—business as usual? - p1326

Stacy Lawrence

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1326

Full Text - Biotech patents—business as usual? | PDF (179 KB) - Biotech patents—business as usual?

Hypertension's shot in the arm - pp1327 - 1329

Jill U. Adams

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1327

Two small companies developing therapeutic vaccines against hypertension are blazing a trail for immune treatments that address diseases of lifestyle with massive markets. But doubts linger over the safety of eliciting an immune response to normal body constituents. Jill U. Adams investigates.

Abstract - | Full Text - Hypertension's shot in the arm | PDF (208 KB) - Hypertension's shot in the arm

Moving on - pp1331 - 1333

Jennie Mather

doi:10.1038/bioe.2008.10

PDF (103 KB) - Moving on

Protest and 'democracy' - p1335

Jan Laufer

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1335a

Full Text - Protest and 'democracy' | PDF (218 KB) - Protest and 'democracy'

Reply to Protest and 'democracy' - p1335

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1335b

Full Text - Reply to Protest and 'democracy' | PDF (218 KB) - Reply to Protest and 'democracy'

Foot and Mouth's Achilles' heel? - pp1335 - 1336

John F Atkins & Martin D Ryan

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1335c

Full Text - Foot and Mouth's Achilles' heel? | PDF (233 KB) - Foot and Mouth's Achilles' heel?

Automated de novo protein sequencing of monoclonal antibodies - pp1336 - 1338

Nuno Bandeira, Victoria Pham, Pavel Pevzner, David Arnott & Jennie R Lill

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1336

Full Text - Automated de novo protein sequencing of monoclonal antibodies | PDF (476 KB) - Automated de novo protein sequencing of monoclonal antibodies | Supplementary information

PhosphoPep—a database of protein phosphorylation sites in model organisms - pp1339 - 1340

Bernd Bodenmiller, David Campbell, Bertran Gerrits, Henry Lam, Marko Jovanovic, Paola Picotti, Ralph Schlapbach & Ruedi Aebersold

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1339

Full Text - PhosphoPep—a database of protein phosphorylation sites in model organisms | PDF (304 KB) - PhosphoPep—a database of protein phosphorylation sites in model organisms | Supplementary information

Antibody patenting without antibodies: a global trend - pp1341 - 1343

Kazunori Hashimoto & Tomomi Aida

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1341

Granting human gene patents that include broad antibody claims without any experimental antibody production makes the gene patent issue more complex.

Abstract - | Full Text - Antibody patenting without antibodies: a global trend | PDF (335 KB) - Antibody patenting without antibodies: a global trend | Supplementary information

Recent patent applications in protein purification - p1344

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1344

Full Text - Recent patent applications in protein purification | PDF (53 KB) - Recent patent applications in protein purification

Design and analysis of ChIP-seq experiments for DNA-binding proteins - pp1351 - 1359

Peter V Kharchenko, Michael Y Tolstorukov & Peter J Park

doi:10.1038/nbt.1508

Critical considerations in the design and analysis of ChIP-seq experiments include how to align sequenced tags to the genome, how to detect binding sites and how to estimate the number of tags needed to confidently determine where a protein binds DNA. Using data set for three transcription factors, Kharchenko et al. address these considerations by comparing three novel algorithms with published computational methods.

Abstract - | Full Text - Design and analysis of ChIP-seq experiments for DNA-binding proteins | PDF (370 KB) - Design and analysis of ChIP-seq experiments for DNA-binding proteins | Supplementary information

Recurrent chromosomal abnormalities in human embryonic stem cells - pp1361 - 1363

Claudia Spits, Ileana Mateizel, Mieke Geens, Afroditi Mertzanidou, Catherine Staessen, Yves Vandeskelde, Josiane Van der Elst, Inge Liebaers & Karen Sermon

doi:10.1038/nbt.1510

During long-term culture, human embryonic stem (hES) cells may acquire chromosomal abnormalities that compromise their potential clinical utility. A study of 17 hES cell lines reveals various genomic changes, including trisomies and monosomies, an amplification at 20q11.21 and a derivative chromosome 18.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Recurrent chromosomal abnormalities in human embryonic stem cells | PDF (146 KB) - Recurrent chromosomal abnormalities in human embryonic stem cells | Supplementary information

Human embryonic stem cells reveal recurrent genomic instability at 20q11.21 - pp1364 - 1366

Nathalie Lefort, Maxime Feyeux, Cécile Bas, Olivier Féraud, Annelise Bennaceur-Griscelli, Gerard Tachdjian, Marc Peschanski & Anselme L Perrier

doi:10.1038/nbt.1509

During long-term culture, human embryonic stem (hES) cells may acquire chromosomal abnormalities that compromise their potential clinical utility. Lefort et al. show that an amplification at 20q11.21 arose at relatively late passage number in three of five hES cell lines.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Human embryonic stem cells reveal recurrent genomic instability at 20q11.21 | PDF (280 KB) - Human embryonic stem cells reveal recurrent genomic instability at 20q11.21 | Supplementary information

MaxQuant enables high peptide identification rates, individualized p.p.b.-range mass accuracies and proteome-wide protein quantification - pp1367 - 1372

Jürgen Cox & Matthias Mann

doi:10.1038/nbt.1511

Cox and Mann describe MaxQuant, a suite of algorithms for the analysis of high-resolution mass spectrometry data. The approach achieves substantial improvements in the accuracy of mass measurements and the peptide identification rate.

Abstract - | Full Text - MaxQuant enables high peptide identification rates, individualized p.p.b.-range mass accuracies and proteome-wide protein quantification | PDF (824 KB) - MaxQuant enables high peptide identification rates, individualized p.p.b.-range mass accuracies and proteome-wide protein quantification | Supplementary information

Integrated barcode chips for rapid, multiplexed analysis of proteins in microliter quantities of blood - pp1373 - 1378

Rong Fan, Ophir Vermesh, Alok Srivastava, Brian K H Yen, Lidong Qin, Habib Ahmad, Gabriel A Kwong, Chao-Chao Liu, Juliane Gould, Leroy Hood & James R Heath

doi:10.1038/nbt.1507

Fan et al. describe a microfluidic chip for multiplexed analysis of proteins in a finger prick of blood. The chip separates plasma from diluted whole blood and quantifies panels of serum proteins in about 10 minutes, minimizing protein degradation.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Integrated barcode chips for rapid, multiplexed analysis of proteins in microliter quantities of blood | PDF (483 KB) - Integrated barcode chips for rapid, multiplexed analysis of proteins in microliter quantities of blood | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Sorger

Asymmetric RNA duplexes mediate RNA interference in mammalian cells - pp1379 - 1382

Xiangao Sun, Harry A Rogoff & Chiang J Li

doi:10.1038/nbt.1512

Gene silencing by siRNA generally relies on short RNA duplexes containing two strands of the same length. Sun et al. show that an asymmetric duplex with a shortened passenger strand silences its target gene effectively while reducing off-target effects mediated by this strand.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Asymmetric RNA duplexes mediate RNA interference in mammalian cells | PDF (320 KB) - Asymmetric RNA duplexes mediate RNA interference in mammalian cells | Supplementary information

Development translates discoveries into products - pp1385 - 1386

Mark Johnson

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1385

Product development teams take research discoveries to the next level.

Abstract - | Full Text - Development translates discoveries into products | PDF (126 KB) - Development translates discoveries into products

People - p1388

doi:10.1038/nbt1208-1388

Full Text - People | PDF (92 KB) - People