Review, News & Views, Perspectives, Hypotheses and Analyses in 2011

There are many challenges involved in understanding climate variations in the tropics, and how the Pacific climate might change with global warming. One study offers a surprising perspective on the mechanisms involved.

Single-electron circuitry is a promising route for quantum information processing. The demonstration of single-electron transfer between two distant quantum dots brings this technology a step closer. See Letters p.435 & p.439

The genetic basis of traits can be understood by comparing the DNA of varieties of the same species. The genomes of many varieties of a model plant organism have now been sequenced, and the results are revelatory. See Article p.419

Newly discovered neutralizing antibodies that target sites on the envelope proteins of HIV-1 provide a window on how some of the most powerful of these antibodies acquire their potency and breadth of activity. See Letter p.466

The slick interior of the pitcher plant has inspired a slippery material possessing self-lubricating, self-cleaning and self-healing properties. The secret is to infuse a porous material with a liquid that repels oils and water. See Letter p.443

Scientists have begun to overhaul a yeast's genome to make it more stable, engineerable and evolvable. Remarkably, the part-natural, part-synthetic yeast cells function and reproduce without obvious ill effects. See Letter p.471

Knowledge of how the Milky Way formed and evolved is deficient. Simulations show that a past encounter with another galaxy may account for the Galaxy's intricate morphology. See Letter p.301

Multiple sclerosis is linked to rogue immune cells that attack mature neurons. Remarkably, immature neurons secrete a protein called LIF, which not only inhibits this attack, but also promotes repair of the damaged nerves.

Everybody knows that overconfidence can be foolhardy. But a study reveals that having an overly positive self-image might confer an evolutionary advantage if the rewards outweigh the risks. See Letter p.317

During cell division, the DNA-associated CENP-A protein recruits the kinetochore protein complex to assemble on chromosomes. A region of just six amino-acid residues earmarks CENP-A for this purpose. See Letter p.354

Data from the Siberian Traps volcanic region suggest that its magma source includes a significant component of recycled oceanic crust. This finding helps to explain why basalt eruptions are so environmentally devastating. See Letter p.312

A specialist neuron uses an intriguing process to help control the body's response to hunger. A lipid pathway involving the breakdown of cellular components regulates the expression of a neuropeptide that affects feeding and body weight.

A 'late veneer' of meteoritic material, added after Earth's core had formed, may be the source of our noble metals. Its absence from some parts of Earth's mantle will now force a rethink about this late accretion. See Letter p.195

In hereditary breast and ovarian cancers caused by absence of the BRCA1 protein, genomic instability may ensue from the 'awakening' of repetitive DNA sequences in structurally condensed chromosomal regions. See Article p.179

New ultra-high-resolution images of the radio galaxy M87 show the origin of a jet very close to the galaxy's black hole, revealing that jets start as broad flows before straightening into nearly cylindrical beams. See Letter p.185

Circuit-level perturbations in the brain's electrical activity may underlie social-interaction deficits seen in people with schizophrenia and autism. A new optogenetic tool was instrumental in making this discovery. See Article p.171

Even during effective treatment with antiretroviral drugs, low levels of HIV persist. In part, this could be due to cell-to-cell transfer of multiple virions and the drugs' inability to inhibit replication when virus levels are high. See Letter p.95

An early clinical trial demonstrates the delivery and replication of a cancer-killing virus in metastasized tumour tissue. These promising results could provide a foundation for systemic virotherapy for patients with cancer. See Letter p.99