Table of contents
November 2008 Vol 9 No 11
Also this month:
- Article series: Fundamental concepts in genetics
- Poster and podcast: Next–generation sequencing technologies
From the editors
p811 | doi:10.1038/nrg2471
Research Highlights
Gene regulation: A tiny missing link for regulatory networks | PDF (146 KB)
p813 | doi:10.1038/nrg2472
Animal models: Modifying MeCP2 | PDF (154 KB)
p814 | doi:10.1038/nrg2475
Genome evolution: CNV evolution revisited | PDF (174 KB)
p814 | doi:10.1038/nrg2477
In brief
Functional genomics | Circadian clocks | RNA world | Genomics | PDF (130 KB)
p815 | doi:10.1038/nrg2478
Evolution: Cis dominates but trans is dominant | PDF (138 KB)
p816 | doi:10.1038/nrg2470
Plant genetics: Rice stands up | PDF (162 KB)
p816 | doi:10.1038/nrg2476
X inactivation: Pluripotency factors flick the switch | PDF (135 KB)
p817 | doi:10.1038/nrg2469
Gene expression: Coming in waves | PDF (146 KB)
p818 | doi:10.1038/nrg2474
In brief
Gene expression | Technology | Stem cells | Gene expression | PDF (125 KB)
p818 | doi:10.1038/nrg2479
Reviews
Metabolic syndrome: from epidemiology to systems biology
Aldons J. Lusis, Alan D. Attie & Karen Reue
p819 | doi:10.1038/nrg2468
Recent genome-wide association studies have identified many genes associated with metabolic disorders. However, systems-biology approaches could give improved insights into the complex involvement of genetic and environmental factors.
Biological principles of microRNA-mediated regulation: shared themes amid diversity
Alex S. Flynt & Eric C. Lai
p831 | doi:10.1038/nrg2455
MicroRNAs exert their regulatory effects by potently repressing some targets, fine-tuning other targets or coordinately regulating target batteries. MicroRNA-mediated control can also be reversible. These regulatory themes underlie the exploitation of microRNA control in diverse biological circuits.
Metabolism and regulation of canonical histone mRNAs: life without a poly(A) tail
William F. Marzluff, Eric J. Wagner & Robert J. Duronio
p843 | doi:10.1038/nrg2438
Histone mRNAs, the only cellular mRNAs that are not polyadenylated, end in a conserved stem–loop that performs the functions of the poly(A) tail in mRNA metabolism and that is required for cell-cycle regulation and regulating the balance of the production of variant and canonical histones.
Article series: Fundamental concepts in genetics
Epistasis — the essential role of gene interactions in the structure and evolution of genetic systems
Patrick C. Phillips
p855 | doi:10.1038/nrg2452
Epistasis is fundamental to the structure and function of genetic pathways and to the evolutionary dynamics of complex genetic systems. High-throughput functional genomics, systems-level approaches and advances in molecular evolution are spurring renewed interest in understanding and quantifying epistatic interactions.
The evolution of cell types in animals: emerging principles from molecular studies
Detlev Arendt
p868 | doi:10.1038/nrg2416
The recent advent of cell type molecular fingerprinting has yielded initial insights into the evolutionary interrelationships of cell types between remote animal phyla, allowing the definition of some key principles of cell type diversification in animal evolution.
Perspective
Opinion
Epigenome dynamics: a quantitative genetics perspective
Frank Johannes, Vincent Colot & Ritsert C. Jansen
p883 | doi:10.1038/nrg2467
Current approaches for dissecting complex traits largely ignore epiallelic variation. To overcome this limitation the authors propose a quantitative approach to identifying the dynamic interplay between DNA sequence, chromatin and environmental contributions to the phenotype, across generations and developmental time points.
