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Images are an integral part of reporting scientific data and conveying concepts in science. Janke and Chabrier argue for the importance of hand drawing — the original form of representation in science — as a complementary medium to photographs and schematics used in science publications today.
Condensin complexes drive mitotic chromosome formation by structuring chromatin into nested loops and organizing them along a central, helical scaffold.
The exonuclease EXD2 prevents the overload of the mitochondrial 28S ribosome subunit with mitochondrial mRNAs, and is important for development and lifespan regulation
Perturbation of phospholipid composition in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) results in increased cholesterol biosynthesis; excess cholesterol is a driver of ISC hyperproliferation, and consequently of intestinal hypertrophy and cancer.
By editing of endogenous mRNAs, the RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 prevents interferon-induced translation shutdown and cell death, and virus-independent interferon induction in neuronal cells.
AMPK phosphorylates EZH2 — the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb repressive complex 2, thereby inhibiting its gene suppression function and counteracting its tumorigenic effects.
Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) do not overlap protein-coding genes, although some lincRNA genes have minimal coding potential and can include small open reading frames that encode functional peptides. lincRNA functions include RNA stabilization and transcription regulation and the remodelling of chromatin and genome architecture. Recent insights suggest that lincRNAs broadly serve to fine-tune the expression of neighbouring genes with remarkable tissue specificity.
Structures in 5′ untranslated regions of eukaryotic mRNAs contribute to gene regulation by controlling cap-dependent and cap-independent translation initiation through diverse mechanisms. New structure probing technologies coupled with techniques such as compensatory mutagenesis will likely identify new structured RNA elements and help elucidate their function.
Sphingolipids are a major class of lipids, comprising various species with diverse functions. In addition to being structural elements of membranes, many sphingolipids are bioactive and regulate a myriad of cellular processes. Recent advances have shed new light on the complexity of sphingolipid metabolism and their various roles in physiology and disease.
Linker histones bind to nucleosomes and have been traditionally perceived as structural units of chromatin. Recent advances indicate that these histones have an active role in the control of chromatin architecture and function, participating in the regulation of gene expression, DNA replication and DNA repair.
