Volume 11 Issue 4, April 2010

A role for Orm proteins in sphingolipid homeostasis and childhood asthma.

Functional podosomes and invadopodia formin vivoand in 3D culture.

Kinetochore microtubules interact with spindle pole microtubules.

Three studies show that HSCs derive from haemogenic endothelial cells.

Primal small RNAs initiate siRNA amplification in the absence of heterochromatin.

A role for cell death in wound healing and tissue regeneration.

The unconventional secretion of an acyl CoA-binding protein in yeast.

PRXI is locally inactivated to promote H₂O₂-mediated signalling at the cell membrane.

The actin cytoskeleton has key roles in many dynamic cellular processes, such as cell movement, cell division and membrane dynamics. The discovery of mammalian proteins that regulate actin nucleation and dynamics has expanded our views on how the actin cytoskeleton influences cellular functions.

Signalling pathways are ideal candidates for microRNA-mediated regulation owing to the sharp dose-sensitive nature of their effects. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs affect the responsiveness of cells to various growth factors, serving as nodes of signalling networks that ensure homeostasis and regulate disease.

Histone core particles are spools for wrapping DNA, whereas histone variants have evolved diverse additional roles in chromosome metabolism. Some variants mediate universal functions, such as chromosome segregation and DNA repair, and others specialize in organism-specific tasks.

The ERMs (ezrin, moesin and radixin) are key organizers of membrane domains because they can interact with transmembrane proteins and the cytoskeleton. Recent studies have provided insights into the regulation of ERMs and theirin vivoroles in development, immune responses and disease.

Integrin activation comprises initial and intermediate signalling events and, finally, the interaction of integrins with cytoplasmic regulators such as talins and kindlins, which changes an integrin's affinity for its ligands. Targeting of these final, integrin-specific, activation events enables integrin-focused therapeutic strategies.

Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with the accumulation of intracellular or extracellular protein aggregates that form because of protein misfolding. These aggregates are capable of crossing cellular membranes and can thereby directly contribute to the propagation of neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis, which might spread in a 'prion-like' manner.