Focus on molecular metrics

In this issue - pv

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-v

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Focus on molecular metrics

Spatiotemporal mechanisms of life - p593

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-593

Understanding how organisms measure and respond to space and time at a physical and chemical level is at the heart of a mechanistic understanding of life.

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The biology of time across different scales - pp594 - 597

Dean V Buonomano

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-594

Animals time events on scales that span from microseconds to days. In contrast to the technologies devised by humans to keep track of time, biology has developed vastly different mechanisms for timing across these different scales.

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Memorizing spatiotemporal patterns - pp598 - 601

Atsushi Miyawaki & Satoshi Karasawa

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-598

Live samples are intrinsically highly dynamic, yet techniques to monitor these complex environments usually reflect snapshots, thus making time-lapse imaging necessary to explore temporal progression of biological functions. Recent results indicate that exploiting some basic features of fluorescent protein maturation, such as green-to-red maturation of engineered proteins, should allow probing of temporally regulated information.

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Pamela Silver - p603

Catherine Goodman

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-603

A continual commitment to exploring new scientific territory has led Pamela Silver on an oscillating path from physics and engineering to molecular biology and now to the development of engineering principles in the creation of cellular metrics.

Full Text - Pamela Silver | PDF (1,375 KB) - Pamela Silver

Enzymatic glycosynthesis GeTs better - pp604 - 605

Benjamin G Davis

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-604

The use of biocatalysts for glycoside bond formation is an attractive strategy in chemical synthesis, but the tight specificity of enzymes can be a significant limitation. An ingenious screening strategy has led to the discovery of a particularly plastic glycosyltransferase.

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See also: Letter by Williams et al.

A carbohydrate vaccine exceeds the sum of its parts - pp605 - 606

David R Bundle

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-605

A fully synthetic three-component vaccine has been shown to induce high titers of antibodies against the mucin Tn antigen of human cancer cells. The vaccine's superior properties are a result of the covalent incorporation of a ligand for Toll-like receptors and the presentation of the vaccine in a liposome format.

Full Text - A carbohydrate vaccine exceeds the sum of its parts | PDF (2,960 KB) - A carbohydrate vaccine exceeds the sum of its parts

See also: Letter by Ingale et al.

Sensing nutrient levels in bacteria - pp607 - 608

Thomas Ferenci

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-607

Monitoring nutritional sufficiency is essential in optimizing bacterial survival strategies. Recent studies find that nutrient sensing is delocalized over many cell components. Adding to the complexity, some metabolite pools and cellular components contribute to more than one signal transduction pathway and to housekeeping functions.

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A proton-controlled check valve for sodium ion transport - pp609 - 610

Benoît Roux

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-609

Transmembrane electrochemical ion gradients are the thermodynamic forces exploited by living cells to drive specific substances across the membrane. A new study begins to reveal the molecular mechanisms by which a transporter protein harnesses these driving forces.

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Research Highlights - p611

doi:10.1038/nchembio1007-611

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Conserved mechanisms regulate outgrowth in zebrafish fins - pp613 - 618

M Kathryn Iovine

doi:10.1038/nchembio.2007.36

Abstract - Conserved mechanisms regulate outgrowth in zebrafish fins | Full Text - Conserved mechanisms regulate outgrowth in zebrafish fins | PDF (1,902 KB) - Conserved mechanisms regulate outgrowth in zebrafish fins

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Prolyl cis-trans isomerization as a molecular timer - pp619 - 629

Kun Ping Lu, Greg Finn, Tae Ho Lee & Linda K Nicholson

doi:10.1038/nchembio.2007.35

Abstract - Prolyl : cis-trans: isomerization as a molecular timer | Full Text - Prolyl cis-trans isomerization as a molecular timer | PDF (2,147 KB) - Prolyl cis-trans isomerization as a molecular timer

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Mammalian circadian signaling networks and therapeutic targets - pp630 - 639

Andrew C Liu, Warren G Lewis & Steve A Kay

doi:10.1038/nchembio.2007.37

Abstract - Mammalian circadian signaling networks and therapeutic targets | Full Text - Mammalian circadian signaling networks and therapeutic targets | PDF (1,966 KB) - Mammalian circadian signaling networks and therapeutic targets

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Telomere length, stem cells and aging - pp640 - 649

Maria A Blasco

doi:10.1038/nchembio.2007.38

Abstract - Telomere length, stem cells and aging | Full Text - Telomere length, stem cells and aging | PDF (1,935 KB) - Telomere length, stem cells and aging