Articles

Most excitatory synapses in the brain are found on dendritic spines, but the mechanisms underlying synapse formation are poorly understood. Niesmannet al. investigate the role of neurobeachin in synaptogenesis, and find that its deletion leads to fewer spinous synapses and altered postsynaptic currents.

Plant male reproduction is controlled by gibberellin signalling via the transcription factor GAMYB. Here, deletion of GAMYB in a moss species lacking a gibberellin signalling pathway gives rise to abnormal spores, suggesting that primitive plants used GAMYB for the control of sexual organ development.

E. coliK1 can elude the innate immune system and cause neonatal meningitis. This study shows thatE. coli K1 enters polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) using gp96 to reduce the oxidative burst, and that PMN-depleted mice are resistant to E. coliK1 infection, suggesting that PMNs permit bacterial survival in the host.

The processes that regulate melanoblast migration during development are also thought to be involved in melanoma metastasis. Here, Prex1 null mice are shown to have a melanoblast migration defect and, when crossed to a mouse model of melanoma, are resistant to metastasis, suggesting a role for Prex1 in metastatic melanoma.

Metabolism is altered in many diseases, and monitoring metabolic changes during treatment could facilitate investigations into treatment efficacy and cellular responses. This study reports an NMR-based method to screen the metabolic responses of mammalian cells to drugs.

Magnetoresistive random access memory offers significant promise as a next-generation memory technology. Nan and colleagues present a design concept for a device that simultaneously possesses ultrahigh storage capacity, ultralow power dissipation, and high-speed operation at room temperature.

Dorsal root ganglion neurons can regenerate after injury, but the mechanisms underlying axon regrowth are unclear. To address this, an electroporation transfection method is developed that can alter the gene expression of dorsal root ganglion cells in a living adult mouse, providing a tool to study axon regeneration.

Cell fusion is involved in many different cellular processes including the fusion of trophoblast cells in the placenta. Matsuuraet al. identify a role for the β-catenin signalling pathway in the regulation of the transcription factor GCM1 and therefore the fusion of syncytiotrophoblast cells.

Most quantum communication experiments are performed at visible wavelengths, yet practical, long-range schemes need photons in the telecommunications range. Here, down-conversion of a visible photon to the near-infrared is demonstrated, while retaining its entanglement to another visible photon.

External electric fields have been used to control the motion of small objects through electrostatic repulsion. Here, electric fields are used to polarize conducting objects, triggering their movement by spatially separated electrochemical reactions leading to directionally controlled bubble evolution.

Photonic alternatives to electrical circuits require low energy demand and fast modulation speed, which has proven difficult for on-chip devices. Using quantum dot photonic crystal nanocavities, Vučkovićet al. demonstrate an electrically-switchable light-emitting diode with such capabilities.

The health benefits of massage therapy, like the reduction of stress, have so far only been shown in humans. This study uses modelling to demonstrate that, while visiting cleaner fish to have ectoparasites removed, the physical stimulation also acts to reduce stress in the coral reef fish,Ctenochaetus striatus.

Covalent organic frameworks form a porous skeleton with a precise pore size and geometry, but control of the pore surface is challenging. Here, a protocol is introduced for pore surface engineering of covalent organic frameworks, allowing the control of composition and density of organic groups in the pores.

Detecting bacteria in clinical samples usually requires culture processes that are time consuming and impede rapid diagnoses. Now, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic method is reported that allows the label- and culture-free detection and analysis of bacteria.

Female Swallowtail butterflies will only lay their eggs on a small number of plants, which they choose by detecting specific chemicals on the leaf surface. Here, a gustatory receptor,PxutGr1, is identified in Papilio xuthus, which is used by the butterfly to detect synephrine when selecting a host plant.

DNA nanotubes could be used to transport nano-cargo and incorporated into nano-devices. In this study, rolling circle amplification is used to generate DNA subunits, and their thermodynamic growth results in the formation of nanotubes with a controlled diameter.

Metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes generally coexist in 'as-grown' materials. In this study, single-walled nanotubes are sorted using regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s; rational selection of polymers, solvent and temperature allows the selective dispersion of semiconducting carbon nanotubes.

The methylation of DNA and histone H3 lysine 9 in chromatin are positively correlated. This study shows that the DNA methyl transferase Dnmt3a is methylated, and a crystal structure of Dnmt3a bound to the chromodomain protein MPP8 suggests a molecular mechanism.

Leaves and tissues contain three-dimensional networks of fluidic channels, but similar artificial self-assembling systems have not yet been produced. Jamalet al. develop methods to produce three-dimensional microfluidic networks with curved geometries from the self-assembly of photopatterned polymers.

The miniaturization of optical devices is crucial for their on-chip integration with a variety of technological applications. Here, Liuet al. present an ultracompact beam splitter to control the direction of light through the generation of surface plasmon polaritons.