Research Highlights in 2008

Researchers use tetrad analysis and high-density oligonucleotide tiling arrays to generate a high-resolution map of meiotic recombination events in budding yeast.

Two research groups apply quantitative proteomics to study the effects of microRNAs on cellular proteins.

Two groups describe wiki platforms for community-based curation of gene annotations or biological pathways.

Using chemically assembled ubiquitylated histone H2B, researchers demonstrate that direct cross-talk results in methylation of a lysine on another histone.

By engineering magnetic microstructures, researchers demonstrate the potential for multiplexed MRI.

A new protein tag simplifies labeling and visualization of newly synthesized target proteins in tissue and whole animals.

Researchers demonstrate a method for observing intact membrane protein complexes by mass spectrometry.

Next-generation sequencing–based studies locate nucleosomes at high resolution throughout several genomes.

Ongoing efforts show promise in replacing reprogramming factors with small molecules for making induced pluripotent stem cells.

A high-resolution interactome map that describes how proteins interact in living yeast cells is an invaluable reference for the research community.

Tiny droplets of water in oil can serve as miniature culture vessels for living single cells and multicellular organisms.

Recently discovered electrophilic probes open the door to activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) studies of a broader range of proteins.

Zebrafish researchers rejoice! Reverse genetics is now on the menu, thanks to zinc-finger nucleases.

By adding new connections between unrelated genes to a gene network, researchers can investigate network robustness and evolvability.

Researchers generated a high-resolution snapshot of the epigenome of Arabidopsis thaliana by constructing and integrating the methylome, transcriptome and small RNAome using next-generation sequencing.

Virtual composite images generate a map of gene expression in Drosophila embryos.

Synthetic peptides that can enter the cell and localize to mitochondria are promising tools for delivering cargo to the organelle.