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Biological research is benefiting from an explosion of data. There is an urgent need to invest in bioinformatic infrastructure and education to interpret this data and guarantee its archiving.
Strict control of cisternal pH in the Golgi is required for posttranslational modification and trafficking of proteins and lipids. A chloride channel to neutralize the charge of the proton pump and to keep the Golgi membrane potential near zero has finally been discovered.
The tumour suppressor VHL is known to suppress hypoxia-induced gene expression by degrading HIF family transcription factors. Evidence that VHL also targets the oncoprotein β-catenin for degradation highlights a new road to transformation by loss of VHL.
Individual neurons form specific elaborate dendritic structures that receive presynaptic information. The pattern of dendritic branching is regulated by the microtubule-associated motor protein dynein, which is responsible for the transport of essential endosomes and other organelles into the dendrites.
Stress granules and processing bodies are related mRNA-containing granules implicated in controlling mRNA translation and decay. A genomic screen identifies numerous factors affecting granule formation, including proteins involved in O-GlcNAc modifications. These results highlight the importance of post-translational modifications in translational control and mRNP granule formation.
The production of chemoattractants in the pre-metastatic lung can be induced by distant primary tumours. The chemoattractants S100A8 and S100A9 induce serum amyloid A3 and TLR4 activation and cause an inflammation-like state that facilitates metastasis.
Regulatory loops between transcriptional activators and repressors control the circadian clock. A minimal synthetic combination of these transcription factors is sufficient to drive a robust circadian rhythm.
The tumour suppressor VHL is known to stabilize the ubiquitin ligase Jade-1. Jade-1 targets both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated -catenin, thereby linking VHL function directly to inhibition of Wnt signalling.
Plus-tip (+TIP) proteins, such as EB1 and EB3, bind to growing microtubules ends. Interaction of EB3 with drebrin is important to couple filamentous actin to microtubules during neuronal growth-cone formation.
An RNAi sreen shows that assembly of stress granules, which are involved in mRNA translation and decay regulation, requires glycocyslation of translation machinery components.
The process of lateral inhibition in the canonical Delta-Notch pathway is crucial for cell-fate determination. d-Asb11, a regulator of neural progenitors in zebrafish, is an essential mediator of lateral inhibition through ubiquitylation of Delta A.
Two distinct steps drive COPI vesicle fission: bud-neck constriction, which is dependent on the protein BARS and COPI constituents, followed by bud-neck scission, which is dependent on phosphatidic acid.
Malate is involved in mediating plant stomatal responses to high CO2. By acting as a malate importer, the ABC transporter AtABCB14 controls stomatal movements by increasing their osmotic pressure.
Talin can activate integrins to bind the extracellular matrix and also connect matrix-engaged integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. New work shows that cell spreading can be dissected into three distinct phases according to their differential requirements for talin function.
The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular transdifferentiation program that enables epithelial cancer cells to acquire traits of high-grade malignancy, notably invasive and metastatic powers. A new study indicates that it may also function early in tumour progression by preventing oncogene-induced senescence.
