These short, accessible highlights summarize and contextualize must-read papers related to cell signaling. These articles add background and context to summaries of primary research. 'In brief' articles emphasize key aspects of selected articles.
 | Germline development: Janus is a male (fly)
The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is required for male germ cell development in Drosophila.
Original research paper: Nature 436, 563 – 567, (28 July 2005) |
 | Molecular motors: A new motor for traffic
The kinesin KIF16B regulates early endosome localization and can influence receptor recycling and degradation.
Original research paper: Cell 121, 437 – 450, (2005) |
 | In brief: July 2005
Cell fate | Translation | Signalling | Cytoskeleton | Inflammation | Immune regulation | Genetics | Free Radicals | Metastasis | Protein Kinases | Functional Genomics | Systems Biology | Learning and Memory | Genes and behaviour | Anxiety disorders | Chemical tools | Protein biochemistry | Proteomics | RNA interference |
 | Cell polarity: Coordinated positioning
Frizzled-mediated planar cell polarity in the Drosophila eye is regulated by the apical determinants atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and PALS-1-associated tight junction protein (Patj1).
Original research paper: Cell 121, 621 – 631, (2005) |
 | Cytokines: WSX1 exposed to positive and negative influences
Expression of the ligand-specific component of the interleukin-27 (IL-27) receptor, WSX1, is promoted during acute toxoplasmosis by T-cell activation, but downregulated after natural killer (NK)-cell or natural killer T (NKT)-cell activation.
Original research paper: J. Immunol. 174, 7684 – 7691, (2005) |
 | MicroRNA: Friend or foe?
MicroRNAs from the mir-17 cluster can function as tumor-suppressor genes or as oncogenes depending on the cellular context.
Original research paper: Nature 435, 839 – 843, (2005) |
 | Synaptic plasticity: Dendritic spines shape up
New research sheds light on the relationship between spine structure, calcium signaling and synaptic plasticity.
Original research paper: Neuron 46, 609 – 622, (2005) |
 | Imaging and Visualization: Fluorescent parasite reveals trade secrets
Fluorescent parasites allow researchers to visualize in real-time the process of liver infection by Plasmodium, the pathogen responsible for malaria.
Original research paper: PLoS Biol. 3, e192 – 379, (2005) |
 | Gene regulation: Mosaic in two colors
A novel strategy for the creation of genetic mosaics by interchromosomal recombination in mice allows the tracking of single cells with recombinant genotype and their progeny through development.
Original research paper: Cell 121, 479 – 492, (2005) |
 | Insulin resistance: Too fat to signal
Serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) promotes insulin resistance by downregulating GLUT4 in adipocytes, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.
Original research paper: Nature 436, 356 – 362, (21 July 2005) |
 | RNA: Shuttle discovery
Fluorescence in situ hybridization in yeast reveals that mature tRNA is actively exported and reimported into the nucleus in an energy-dependent process.
Original research paper: Science 5731, 140 – 142, (2005) |
 | Lymphocyte development: Signalling identity
Two groups have demonstrated that the strength of the signal transmitted by the T-cell receptor (TCR) influences the αβ/γδ lineage-fate.
Original research paper: Immunity 22, 595 – 506, (2005) |
 | Diagnostics: Auspicious antigens
Massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS) has identified several new 'cancer/testis' (CT) antigens, which represent promising candidates for vaccines to augment the immune response against cancer.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 102, 7940 – 7945, (2005) |
 | miRNAs: tuning Notch responses
The finding that Notch pathway genes are regulated by microRNAs in Drosophila uncovers a new level of Notch signaling regulation.
Original research paper: Genes Dev. 19, 1067 – 1080, (2005) |
 | Genomics: A structural map of the human genome
The structural variations in the genome of one individual have been studied using the human genome sequence as a reference.
Original research paper: Nat. Genet. 37, 727 – 732, (2005) |
 | Microbial genetics: Embrace your inhibitions
Inhibition of the mutation-induction process in pathogenic bacteria may prove an effective strategy to combat antibiotic resistance.
Original research paper: PloS Biol. 3, e176(2005) |
 | Neuron morphogenesis: EphB GRIPs the dendritic tree
The scaffolding protein GRIP1 mediates kinesin-dependent trafficking of EphB receptors to control dendrite morphogenesis.
Original research paper: Nature Neuroscience 8, 906 – 915, (2005) |
 | Plant cell biology: Close encounters
Two groups have independently identified the F-box protein TIR1, which is part of the ubiquitin ligase complex SCFTIR1, as an auxin receptor.
Original research paper: Nature 435, 441 – 445, (2005) |
 | Chemoprevention: A cellular chill-out pill?
Short interfering RNA (siRNA) against the redox-sensitive kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) induce the pre-adaptation of human cells to oxidative stress — without the need to expose them to redox stressors.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 102, 7280 – 7285, (2005) |
 | Development: At the junction between L–R patterning and somitogenesis
Studies have now shown that symmetry in somites is established by the action of retinoic acid and that very early in Left–R patterning, retinoic acid and Sonic Hedgehog are released in response to fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling to establish initial asymmetry.
Original research paper: Science 308, 563 – 566, (2005) |
 | Neurogenesis: RESTing repression
The downregulation of the transcriptional repressor REST has been found to be involved in neuronal differentiation.
Original research paper: Cell 121, 645 – 657, (2005) |
 | Imaging Alzheimer disease: seeing the unseeable
Two reports demonstrate how new chemical probes for amyloid-β deposits allow the detection of Alzheimer disease in vivo.
Original research paper: Nat. Biotechnol. 23, 577 – 583, (2005) |
 | Bacterial Pathogenesis: Polar projections
The molecular analysis of the type III secretion system (TTSS) that is used by pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria to inject microbial virulence proteins into host cells, has a novel surface structure encoded by the Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI2).
Original research paper: EMBO J. 24, 2043 – 2052, (2005) |
 | Cell polarity: Keeping Dishevelled under control
Diego (Dgo) and Prickle (Pk) compete for Dishevelled binding and regulate planar cell polarity signaling.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biology 7, 691 – 697, (2005) |
 | Membrane trafficking: One step becomes two
The fusion of viral envelopes with endosomal membranes and the release of nucleocapsids into the cytoplasm of host cells during viral infection, has been shown to occur in two steps.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biol. 7, 653 – 664, (2005) |
 | Signal transduction: A change in taste
Studies of two dual-specificity Tyr-phosphorylation-regulated kinases (DYRKs) have shown that the kinases initially phosphorylate themselves on Tyr, but later turn their attention to Ser/Thr substrates.
Original research paper: Cell 121, 925 – 936, (2005) |
 | HIV: Silencing HIV the natural way
It has now been shown that human cells can physiologically silence HIV-1 RNA — the first natural example of RNA silencing in mammalian host–virus interactions.
Original research paper: Immunity 22, 607 – 619, (2005) |
 | Mouse models: Knocking in is the new knocking out
A p53ERTAM mouse has been made, in which the endogenous Trp53 gene has been replaced by one that encodes a p53 fusion protein, the function of which is solely dependent on the presence of an artificial ligand, 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT).
Original research paper: Nature Genet. 37, 718 – 726, (2005) |
 | Neurological disorders: On the TRAIL of MS treatments
A protein that has well-described anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS) might contribute to brain cell death in the disorder, according to the results of a new study.
Original research paper: Neuron 46, 421 – 432, (2005) |
 | Lead discovery: Cell death by design
An NMR-based technique has been used to discover a potential new anticancer drug that targets interactions between the BCL2 family of apoptotic regulators.
Original research paper: Nature 435, 677 – 681, (2005) |
 | A trinucleotide repeat biosensor
A small-molecule ligand that binds to a (CAG)n hairpin repeat is the basis of a biosensor to detect repeat length, which may help diagnose trinucleotide repeat disease severity.
Original research paper: Nat. Chem. Biol. 1, 39 – 43, (2005) |
