October 2008 Volume 15 Number 10, pp 999 - 1125
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EDITORIAL
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Obama versus McCain on science and education pp999 - 1000
A comparison of the candidates' positions on issues related to
science and education points to some clear differences.
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008-999
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cq0Ea
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NEWS AND VIEWS
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Competing to destroy: a fight between two RNA-degradation systems
pp1001 - 1002
The Argonaute-1 (Ago1) protein bound to small interfering RNAs
(siRNAs) directs heterochromatin formation in fission yeast. A
high-throughput sequencing approach reveals that the composition
of the Ago1-bound siRNA population is sensitive to the noncanonical
poly(A) polymerase Cid14, indicating that the RNA-interference and
Cid14-TRAMP RNA-degradation pathways compete for substrates in
fission yeast.
Genevieve Thon
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008-1001
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cr0Eb
Reading and writing DNA methylation pp1003 - 1004
By recruiting the Dnmt1 DNA methyltransferase to hemimethylated DNA,
the ubiquitin-like with PHD and ring finger domains 1 (UHRF1) protein
plays an important part in DNA methylation. The structures of the SRA
domain of UHRF1 in complex with hemimethylated DNA show that the
methylated cytosine is flipped out of the DNA helix, as observed
previously with DNA methyltransferases.
Albert Jeltsch
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008-1003
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cs0Ec
Sinister symphony in e1a p1005
Sabbi Lall
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008-1005
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Ct0Ed
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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
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Research highlights p1006
Ines Chen, Boyana Konforti, Sabbi Lall and Michelle Montoya
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008-1006
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cu0Ee
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PERSPECTIVE
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Toward a more complete view of tRNA biology pp1007 - 1014
Richard Giege
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1498
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cv0Ef
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cw0Eg
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ARTICLES
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TRAMP-mediated RNA surveillance prevents spurious entry of RNAs into
the Schizosaccharomyces pombe siRNA pathway pp1015 - 1023
Mutation of Cid14, a key enzyme in the TRAMP RNA surveillance pathway,
has previously been shown to decrease small interfering RNA production
in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Analysis of Argonaute-associated
proteins now indicates that, in the absence of Cid14, RNAs usually
processed by TRAMP now enter the small interfering RNA pathway,
suggesting that the RNA surveillance pathway prevents abundant RNAs
from entering the RNA interference pathway.
Marc Buhler, Noah Spies, David P Bartel and Danesh Moazed
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1481
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cx0Eh
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cy0Ei
The postfusion structure of baculovirus gp64 supports a unified view
of viral fusion machines pp1024 - 1030
Viral fusion proteins are required for the fusion of viral and host
membranes for all enveloped viruses. The structure of the Baculovirus
postfusion form of glycoprotein gp64, a class III fusion protein,
explains its ability to fuse with many different cell types, and
structural comparisons suggest that all three classes of fusion
proteins may be more closely related than previously thought.
Jan Kadlec et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1484
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7Cz0Ej
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C10EW
Plasticity of the PAS domain and a potential role for signal
transduction in the histidine kinase DcuS pp1031 - 1039
DcuS is a multidomain membrane sensor kinase important for Escherichia
coli interactions with its environment. A new approach combining
solution- and solid-state NMR with in silico modeling and mutagenesis
has provided a three-dimensional model for most of this large membrane
protein and suggests a mechanism for DcuS activation.
Manuel Etzkorn et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1493
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C20EX
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C30EY
Phosphorylation switches the general splicing repressor SRp38 to a
sequence-specific activator pp1040 - 1048
SRp38, unlike other SR proteins, functions as a general splicing
repressor when it is dephosphorylated. When phosphorylated it f
unctions as a sequence-specific splicing activator and also affects
the selection of mutually exclusive exons in the GluR-B pre-mRNA.
Thus, SRp38 is a previously uncharacterized kind of splicing factor
that can switch from a repressor to an activator and regulator of
alternative splicing.
Ying Feng, Mo Chen and James L Manley
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1485
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C40EZ
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C50Ea
Cell-cycle coordination between DNA replication and recombination
revealed by a vertebrate N-end rule degron-Rad51 pp1049 - 1058
Rad51 is an essential protein with a central role in homologous
recombination. An N-end rule degron Rad51 is now used in DT-40
cells to show that Rad51 is not required for DNA synthesis, but
it is necessary to resolve RPA-bound DNA structures during G2.
Xinyi Su, Juan A Bernal and Ashok R Venkitaraman
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1490
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C60Eb
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C70Ec
Hypermutation by intersegmental transfer of APOBEC3G cytidine
deaminase pp1059 - 1066
APOBEC3G is a cytidine deaminase that can be incorporated into HIV-1
virions and process the viral genome upon cell infection, leading to
viral hypermutation and inactivation. APOBEC3G's activities are
counteracted by viral protein Vif. Using a sensitive enzymatic assay,
low levels of APOBEC3G can be detected associated to Vif(+) virions.
Furthermore, the authors show that APOBEC3G functions in a
distributive manner and causes dispersed hypermutation via
intersegmental transfer.
Roni Nowarski, Elena Britan-Rosich, Tamar Shiloach and Moshe Kotler
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1495
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7C80Ed
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DA0En
Structural model for strain-dependent microtubule activation of
Mg-ADP release from kinesin pp1067 - 1075
The binding of kinesin to microtubules promotes nucleotide exchange
by the kinesin. Structural studies of the intermediate states of
nucleotide exchange reveal the sequence of interactions and
conformational changes that occur and the role of Mg2+ in the
process, providing a testable model for microtubule-activated ADP
release.
Ryo Nitta, Yasushi Okada and Nobutaka Hirokawa
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1487
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DB0Eo
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DC0Ep
Crystal structures of the SAM-III/SMK riboswitch reveal the
SAM-dependent translation inhibition mechanism pp1076 - 1083
S-adenosyl-L-methionine is a methyl donor in many biological
reactions and in bacteria regulates gene expression through binding
to the SAM riboswitch. The structure of a third class of SAM
riboswitches now indicates which features of SAM the riboswitches
have converged on to distinguish it from the closely related
S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine.
Changrui Lu et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1494
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DD0Eq
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DE0Er
Mapping a molecular link between allosteric inhibition and activation
of the glycine receptor pp1084 - 1093
Glycine receptors (GlyR), part of the Cys-loop neurotransmitter
receptor family, are Zn2+-modulated ion channels. Electrophysiological
studies on GlyR mutants indicate that the hydrophobic cores of the
channel's ligand binding domains are important for allosteric
communication between the ligand-binding and Zn2+-inhibitory sites.
The findings suggest a general activation mechanism for this receptor
family.
Paul S Miller, Maya Topf and Trevor G Smart
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1492
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DF0Es
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DG0Et
Inhibition of CED-3 zymogen activation and apoptosis in Caenorhabditis
elegans by caspase homolog CSP-3 pp1094 - 1101
Caspases are cysteine proteases that have a central role in triggering
apoptosis; thus, it is essential to tightly control their activity.
Now a caspase inhibitor has been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans:
CSP-3 is a caspase homolog that associates with the CED-3 zymogen,
inhibiting its autoactivation.
Xin Geng et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1488
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DH0Eu
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DI0Ev
Mal3, the Schizosaccharomyces pombe homolog of EB1, changes the
microtubule lattice pp1102 - 1108
In vitro, pure tubulin assembles into B-lattice microtubules, in
which lateral alpha alpha and beta beta contacts between
tubulin heterodimers predominate. Mal3, a homolog of the plus
end-tracking protein EB1, is now shown to promote microtubule
assembly into an A-lattice arrangement, forcing reconsideration
of in vivo microtubule structure.
Amedee des Georges et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1482
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DJ0Ew
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DK0Ex
Activation of tyrosine kinases by mutation of the gatekeeper threonine
pp1109 - 1118
Substitution of the active site gatekeeper residue in the BCR-ABL
oncoprotein and related kinases is a common mechanism of imanitib
resistance but has also been observed in drug-naive patients. New
work suggests that this residue stabilizes a hydrophobic spine
that links the N and C kinase lobes, promoting the active
conformation, and that adverse mutations at the gatekeeper
residue further stabilize the spine. Disruption of the spine would
be an attractive new goal in drug development.
Mohammad Azam et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1486
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DL0Ey
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DM0Ez
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BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
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A torque component present in mitotic kinesin Eg5 revealed by
three-dimensional tracking pp1119 - 1121
Kinesins are molecular motors that slide along microtubules.
A quantum dot is now attached to a microtubule, allowing the
visualization of its rotation as it is moved by kinesins. The
rotational pitch provides information about the motor, revealing
the low processivity of human mitotic kinesin Eg5.
Junichiro Yajima, Kana Mizutani and Takayuki Nishizaka
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1491
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DN0E1
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DO0E2
The effect of H3K79 dimethylation and H4K20 trimethylation on
nucleosome and chromatin structure pp1122 - 1124
Histone methylation has important consequences for chromatin
activity. Now, histones with methyllysine analogs are used to
reconstitute nucleosomes: the crystal structures show no global
changes in nucleosomes with H3K79me2 and H4K20me3, but the latter
modification enhances compaction of nucleosomal arrays.
Xu Lu et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb.1489
Abstract: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DP0E3
Article: http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DQ0E4
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ADDENDUM
----------------------
Addendum: Heme is involved in microRNA processing p1125
Michael Faller et al.
doi:10.1038/nsmb1008.1125
http://ealerts.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/enzR0Xztnp0Hjh0B7DR0E5
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