●Minimal protein-folding systems in hyperthermophilic archaea. Laksanalamai, P., Whitehead, T. & Robb, F. T. Nature Reviews Microbiology April (2004)

●Microtubules as a target for anticancer drugs. Jordan, M. A. & Wilson, L. Nature Reviews Cancer April (2004)

●A cellular choreographer. Nelson, W. J. Nature 4 March (2004) A News and Views article that describes how the LKB1 protein regulates the polarization of intestinal epithelial cells.

●RNA regulation: a new genetics? Mattick, J. S. Nature Reviews Genetics April (2004)

●Spot the difference. Gadsby, D. C. Nature 26 February (2004) Ion channels allow charged atoms to move along chemical or electrical gradients, whereas ion pumps use cellular energy to build these gradients. So, shouldn't ion channels and ion pumps look different? This News and Views article shows that this isn't the case.

●Jurkat T cells and the development of the T-cell receptor signalling paradigm. Abraham, R. T. & Weiss, A. Nature Reviews Immunology April (2004)

●Understanding the diversity of prions. Aguzzi, A. Nature Cell Biology April (2004) According to the protein-only hypothesis, infection with misfolded prions converts healthy prions into the misfolded form. This hypothesis has been regarded with scepticism as different prion strains are known to exist. Work in yeast prions that could resolve this controversy is discussed in this News and Views article.

●Feedback regulation of lymphocyte signalling. Reth, M. & Brummer, T. Nature Reviews Immunology April (2004)

●siRNA: applications in functional genomics and potential as therapeutics. Dorsett, Y. & Tuschl, T. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery April (2004)

●Is acetylation the key to opening locked gates? Pugh B. F. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology April (2004) Although acetylation can regulate gene expression, the mechanisms that regulate acetyltransferases are unknown. This News and Views article describes how acetyltransferases use an inhibitory loop to regulate substrates entry into their active site — autoacetylation is key to this process.