Volume 24 Issue 1, January 2014

Several studies have demonstrated the clonal transmission of distinct differentiation and self-renewal properties in hematopoietic stem cells during the regeneration of blood production in transplanted recipients. A recent publication now identifies Vwf expression as a discriminating marker of a hematopoietic stem cell state that is primed for platelet production in response to thrombopoietin, but also subject to developmental and other, as yet undefined, cues.

Antibiotic therapies disrupt the intestinal microbiota and render the host susceptible to enteric infections. A recent report by Ng et al. explores the ability of two intestinal pathogens (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Clostridium difficile) to use this disruption to their advantage and consume host carbohydrates that would otherwise be unavailable in the presence of a normal gut microbiota.

In a recent paper in Nature, Ermolaeva et al. uncover a systemic response to DNA damage in germ cells that protects somatic tissues, providing mechanistic insight into the bidirectional communication between germ line and soma.

The January 2014 special issue on Autophagy brings together a series of authoritative reviews from outstanding experts in the field. The current understanding, as well as recent advances in various aspects of autophagy, its regulation, and their relevance to diseases, is presented. Further background information on this important topic is available through the accompanying web focus which links to related articles from across Nature Publishing Group.

The January 2014 special issue on Autophagy brings together a series of authoritative reviews from outstanding experts in the field. The current understanding, as well as recent advances in various aspects of autophagy, its regulation, and their relevance to diseases, is presented. Further background information on this important topic is available through the accompanying web focus which links to related articles from across Nature Publishing Group.