Table of contents
February 2008 Vol 9 No 2
From the editors
p83 | doi:10.1038/nrg2308
Research Highlights
RNA world: Back and forth for microRNA regulation | PDF (212 KB)
p84 | doi:10.1038/nrg2313
Human disease: DNA replication, for a change | PDF (139 KB)
p85 | doi:10.1038/nrg2310
In brief
Animal models | Evolution | Disease genetics | Genomics | PDF (102 KB)
p85 | doi:10.1038/nrg2312
X inactivation: Sensing double | PDF (133 KB)
p86 | doi:10.1038/nrg2305
Stem cells: Safeguarding pluripotency | PDF (155 KB)
p86 | doi:10.1038/nrg2306
Population genetics: Worm strains mix but don't match | PDF (164 KB)
p86 | doi:10.1038/nrg2315
Ageing: Variety in old age | PDF (163 KB)
p88 | doi:10.1038/nrg2304
Chromatin: CENP-B-mediated genome-wide surveillance | PDF (204 KB)
p88 | doi:10.1038/nrg2307
In brief
Development | Gene Regulation | Genomics | Development | PDF (103 KB)
p89 | doi:10.1038/nrg2314
Reviews
Towards a better bowl of rice: assigning function to tens of thousands of rice genes
Ki-Hong Jung, Gynheung An & Pamela C. Ronald
p91 | doi:10.1038/nrg2286
Rice is the first crop plant to have its genome sequenced. Because of the importance of rice for a significant proportion of the world's population, functionally characterizing rice genes is an economic as well as a scientific imperative.
Mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs: are the answers in sight?
Witold Filipowicz, Suvendra N. Bhattacharyya & Nahum Sonenberg
p102 | doi:10.1038/nrg2290
MicroRNAs mediate post-translational regulation of gene expression in various organisms. Although it is clear that the specificity of their action is achieved by base-pair complementarity, the precise mechanism by which they repress translation has been controversial. Clear answers are only beginning to emerge.
Deconstructing stem cell self-renewal: genetic insights into cell-cycle regulation
Keith W. Orford & David T. Scadden
p115 | doi:10.1038/nrg2269
Cell-cycle regulation is emerging as a crucial aspect of the ability of stem cells to self-renew. Genetic studies in mice have provided insights into the nature of this regulation, highlighting shared principles in embryonic and adult stem cells.
Epigenetic events in mammalian germ-cell development: reprogramming and beyond
Hiroyuki Sasaki & Yasuhisa Matsui
p129 | doi:10.1038/nrg2295
The epigenetic profile of germ cells undergoes several significant changes that are essential for post-fertilization development to occur. An emerging theme from recent studies is that epigenetic modifiers also have key roles in the development of germ cells themselves.
Understanding the molecular machinery of genetics through 3D structures
Roman A. Laskowski & Janet M. Thornton
p141 | doi:10.1038/nrg2273
From the structure of DNA to epigenetic modifications, structural biology has contributed much to genetics. The benefits can also flow the other way — structural determination is benefiting from high-throughput genomic technologies.
Perspective
Science and society
Research ethics and the challenge of whole-genome sequencing
Amy L. McGuire, Timothy Caulfield & Mildred K. Cho
p152 | doi:10.1038/nrg2302
As personal genome research advances, investigators and international research bodies must ensure ethical research conduct. The authors discuss three major ethical implications of personal genomics that relate to the participants, their next-of-kin and the data.
