Under wraps - pp880 - 882

Emily Waltz

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-880

Are the crop industry's strong-arm tactics and close-fisted attitude to sharing seeds holding back independent research and undermining public acceptance of transgenic crops? Emily Waltz investigates.

Abstract - | Full Text - Under wraps | PDF (406 KB) - Under wraps

Credibility: your most important asset - pp883 - 885

Douglas MacDougall & Jennifer Conrad

doi:10.1038/bioe.2009.8

PDF (128 KB) - Credibility: your most important asset

Is it virtuous to be virtual? The VC viewpoint - pp886 - 888

Justin Chakma, Jeff L Calcagno, Ali Behbahani & Shawn Mojtahedian

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-886

Full Text - Is it virtuous to be virtual? The VC viewpoint | PDF (236 KB) - Is it virtuous to be virtual? The VC viewpoint | Supplementary information

The power of social networking in medicine - pp888 - 890

Catherine A Brownstein, John S Brownstein, David S Williams III, Paul Wicks & James A Heywood

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-888

Full Text - The power of social networking in medicine | PDF (357 KB) - The power of social networking in medicine

Creating a mouse academic research commons - pp890 - 891

David Einhorn & Rita Heimes

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-890

Full Text - Creating a mouse academic research commons | PDF (105 KB) - Creating a mouse academic research commons

Cofactor-mediated protein promiscuity - p892

Jordan D Dimitrov & Tchavdar L Vassilev

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-892a

Full Text - Cofactor-mediated protein promiscuity | PDF (270 KB) - Cofactor-mediated protein promiscuity

Healthcare-biotech symbiosis - pp892 - 893

Kamran Ahmed & Hutan Ashrafian

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-892b

Full Text - Healthcare-biotech symbiosis | PDF (337 KB) - Healthcare-biotech symbiosis

Improved genome annotation for Zymomonas mobilis - pp893 - 894

Shihui Yang, Katherine M Pappas, Loren J Hauser, Miriam L Land, Gwo-Liang Chen, Gregory B Hurst, Chongle Pan, Vassili N Kouvelis, Milton A Typas, Dale A Pelletier, Dawn M Klingeman, Yun-Juan Chang, Nagiza F Samatova & Steven D Brown

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-893

Full Text - Improved genome annotation for Zymomonas mobilis | PDF (162 KB) - Improved genome annotation for Zymomonas mobilis | Supplementary information

Legal uncertainty in the area of genetic diagnostic testing - pp903 - 909

Isabelle Huys, Nele Berthels, Gert Matthijs & Geertrui Van Overwalle

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-903

A patent landscape analysis of 22 common genetic diagnostic tests shows substantially fewer claims on genes per se than initially suggested but raises questions of legal uncertainty as to the claims' scope.

Abstract - | Full Text - Legal uncertainty in the area of genetic diagnostic testing | PDF (266 KB) - Legal uncertainty in the area of genetic diagnostic testing | Supplementary information

Recent patent applications in RNA interference - p910

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-910

Full Text - Recent patent applications in RNA interference | PDF (48 KB) - Recent patent applications in RNA interference

How to visually interpret biological data using networks - pp921 - 924

Daniele Merico, David Gfeller & Gary D Bader

doi:10.1038/nbt.1567

Networks in biology can appear complex and difficult to decipher. Merico et al. illustrate how to interpret biological networks with the help of frequently used visualization and analysis patterns.

Abstract - | Full Text - How to visually interpret biological data using networks | PDF (355 KB) - How to visually interpret biological data using networks

In vivo delivery of siRNA to immune cells by conjugation to a TLR9 agonist enhances antitumor immune responses - pp925 - 932

Marcin Kortylewski, Piotr Swiderski, Andreas Herrmann, Lin Wang, Claudia Kowolik, Maciej Kujawski, Heehyoung Lee, Anna Scuto, Yong Liu, Chunmei Yang, Jiehui Deng, Harris S Soifer, Andrew Raubitschek, Stephen Forman, John J Rossi, Drew M Pardoll, Richard Jove & Hua Yu

doi:10.1038/nbt.1564

Tumors generate microenvironments that actively suppress the body's anti-tumor immune response. Kortylewski et al. restore immunity by delivering an siRNA against Stat3, a regulator of immune suppression, to myeloid and B cells using a CpG oligonucleotide that targets toll-like receptor 9.

Abstract - | Full Text - In vivo delivery of siRNA to immune cells by conjugation to a TLR9 agonist enhances antitumor immune responses | PDF (1,185 KB) - In vivo delivery of siRNA to immune cells by conjugation to a TLR9 agonist enhances antitumor immune responses | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Gantier & Williams

Sensitive multiplexed analysis of kinase activities and activity-based kinase identification - pp933 - 940

Kazuishi Kubota, Rana Anjum, Yonghao Yu, Ryan C Kunz, Jannik N Andersen, Manfred Kraus, Heike Keilhack, Kumiko Nagashima, Stefan Krauss, Cloud Paweletz, Ronald C Hendrickson, Adam S Feldman, Chin-Lee Wu, John Rush, Judit Villén & Steven P Gygi

doi:10.1038/nbt.1566

Kubota et al. describe a sensitive mass spectrometric method for generating signatures of kinase activity characteristic of specific cell types. They also identify kinases responsible for phosphorylating substrates of interest.

Abstract - | Full Text - Sensitive multiplexed analysis of kinase activities and activity-based kinase identification | PDF (823 KB) - Sensitive multiplexed analysis of kinase activities and activity-based kinase identification | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Muñoz & Heck

Induction of protein-protein interactions in live cells using light - pp941 - 945

Masayuki Yazawa, Amir M Sadaghiani, Brian Hsueh & Ricardo E Dolmetsch

doi:10.1038/nbt.1569

Controlling protein-protein interaction with high temporal and spatial resolution is essential for understanding many cellular processes. Yazawa et al. present genetically encoded tags that can induce protein dimer formation upon stimulation with blue light.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Induction of protein-protein interactions in live cells using light | PDF (1,362 KB) - Induction of protein-protein interactions in live cells using light | Supplementary information

Automated design of synthetic ribosome binding sites to control protein expression - pp946 - 950

Howard M Salis, Ethan A Mirsky & Christopher A Voigt

doi:10.1038/nbt.1568

Salis et al. design precisely tuned ribosome binding sites that allow rational control over the rate of protein translation. This technology should facilitate the design of synthetic genetic circuits and metabolic pathways.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Automated design of synthetic ribosome binding sites to control protein expression | PDF (532 KB) - Automated design of synthetic ribosome binding sites to control protein expression | Supplementary information

A proteomics approach to discovering natural products and their biosynthetic pathways - pp951 - 956

Stefanie B Bumpus, Bradley S Evans, Paul M Thomas, Ioanna Ntai & Neil L Kelleher

doi:10.1038/nbt.1565

Nonribosomal peptides and polyketides constitute a large fraction of antibiotic, antitumor and immunosuppressant drugs. Bumpus et al. present a proteomic strategy to identify new natural products and their biosynthetic pathways.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - A proteomics approach to discovering natural products and their biosynthetic pathways | PDF (799 KB) - A proteomics approach to discovering natural products and their biosynthetic pathways | Supplementary information

People - p958

doi:10.1038/nbt1009-958

Full Text - People | PDF (114 KB) - People