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.
 | Pml: Thwarting Akt-driven tumorigenesis
The tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia (Pml) negatively regulates Akt in the nucleus.
Original research paper: Nature 441, 523 - 527 (2006) |
 | Signaling networks: Talking in detail
Analysis of the regulatory cross-talk occurring between 22 receptor-specific ligands provides new insights into context-dependent signaling.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biology 8, 571 - 580 (2006) |
 | CNTF and obesity: Bypassing leptin resistance
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) induces fatty acid oxidation and restores insulin sensitivity in the muscles of obese mice.
Original research paper: Nature Medicine 12, 541 – 548 (2006) |
 | Shugoshin: guardian of centromeric cohesin
Centromeric cohesin is protected from cleavage by the recruitment of Protein phosphatase 2A by Shugoshin.
Original research paper: Nature 441, 46 - 52 (2006) |
 | The spindle matrix revisited
A new study identifies the intermediate-filament protein lamin-B as a key structural component of the spindle matrix in mitosis.
Original research paper: Science 311, 1887 – 1893, (2006) |
 | RNA viruses: all bases covered?
The cytoplasmic helicase proteins MDA5 and RIG-I have differential roles in viral dsRNA recognition.
Original research paper: Nature 441, 101 - 105 (04 May 2006) |
 | Tiny new oncogenes
The human micro-RNAs miR-372 and miR-373 have been found to co-operate with oncogenic Ras during the development of human testicular germ cell tumors.
Original research paper: Cell 124, 1169 – 1181, (2006) |
 | Transducing a mutant signal
Signal transducer and activator of transcription STAT3 is a critical mediator of the oncogenic effects of mutant epidermal-growth-factor receptor (EGFR) in lung cancer.
Original research paper: Cancer Research 66, 3162 - 3168 (2006) |
 | Unscrambling the egg–sperm divide
Two independent studies show that the level of retinoic acid (RA) controls the timing of germ cell meiosis.
Original research paper: Science 103, 2474 – 2479, (2006) |
 | Anthrax researchers complete triumvirate
The Wnt co-receptor LRP6 is involved in the internalization and lethality of anthrax toxin.
Original research paper: Cell 124, 1141 – 1154, (2006) |
 | Under the spotlight
The phototransduction components of the third - or parietal - eye of lizards, which mediates the detection of dawn and dusk, have been identified.
Original research paper: Science 311, 1617 – 1621, (2006) |
 | Under pressure
The glycoprotein EMILIN1 (elastin microfibril interface-located protein-1) is a negative regulator of TGFb signaling and blood pressure homeostasis.
Original research paper: Cell 124, 929 – 942, (2006) |
 | NKT cells have a role in human asthma
A new study shows that CD4+ natural killer T cells which produce TH2 cytokines play a prominent pathogenic role in human asthma.
Original research paper: N. Engl. J. Med. 354, 1117 – 1129, (2006) |
 | Developing patterns
A robust two-gene prognostic model suggests that Akt and Notch signaling are hallmarks of poor prognosis gliomas.
Original research paper: Cancer Cell 9, 157 – 173, (2006) |
 | It's all in the balance
DSCR1 and DYRK1A in human chromosome 21, act synergistically to reduce NFATc activity causing many of the features of Down's syndrome.
Original research paper: Nature 5, 725 – 738, (2006) |
 | Switch to the potassium channel
Mutations in the potassium channel gene KCNC3 cause disease phenotypes with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative features.
Original research paper: Nature Genet. (2006) |
 | New routes to antimalarials?
The production of the anti-malarial drug precursor artemisinic acid in engineered yeast could significantly reduce the cost of artemisinin combination therapies.
Original research paper: Nature 440, 940 – 943, (2006) |
 | An alternative route
The melanosomal protein Pmel17 is sorted into intralumenal vesicles by a novel Lumenal Domain-Dependent Pathway that is independent HRS (hepatocyte-growth-factor-regulated tyrosine-kinase substrate) and ESCRTs (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport).
Original research paper: Dev. Cell 10, 343 – 354, (2006) |
 | CRIg clears out the bad guys
CRIg, a Complement Receptor of the Immunoglobulin superfamily, is required for the efficient phagocytosis of circulating pathogens by Kupffer cells.
Original research paper: Cell 124, 915 – 927, (2006) |
 | Distinguishing features
Two studies show that deletion of the tumor suppressor Pten has opposite effects on normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and leukemic stem cells (LSCs) suggesting a potential mechanism for depleting cancer stem cells without damaging healthy ones.
Original research paper: Nature ( 2006) |
 | Breakthrough for systemic RNAi
Systemic delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in stable nucleic acid–lipid particles silences the disease target apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in monkeys.
Original research paper: Nature ( 2006) |
 | SCN synchronicity...hup, two, three, four
Loss of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) signaling reduces the expression levels of the clock gene period (Per) and disrupts interneuronal synchronicity.
Original research paper: Curr. Biol. 16, 599 – 605, (2006) |
 | Steroid hormones: Unravelling oestrogen signalling
Using a combination of virtual and biomolecular screening, the first selective agonist for GPR30, a G-protein-coupled receptor that is activated by estrogen, has been identified.
Original research paper: Nature Chem. Biol. 2, 207 – 212, (2006) |
 | Avian influenza: Solving another piece of the H5N1 puzzle
Analysis of the high-resolution crystal structure of the hemagglutinin protein (HA) of the H5N1 influenza virus indicates that it is more closely related to the 1918 HAs than to a 1997 duck H5 HA.
Original research paper: Science ( 2006) |
 | Delicate decisions
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) regulates apoptosis by destabilizing the anti-apoptotic BCL2-family member MCL.
Original research paper: Mol. Cell 21, 749 – 760, (2006) |
 | Anchors away!
A loss of function analysis reveals that IMPs (IGF-II mRNA-binding proteins) are directly involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs encoding extracellular matrix and adhesion proteins.
Original research paper: EMBO J. 25, 1456 – 1468, (2006) |
 | Cortistatin to the rescue
Two studies show that a recently discovered endogenous factor, cortistatin, is an effective anti-inflammatory factor which could be used to treat inflammatory disorders such as Crohn's disease and septic shock.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 103, 4228 – 4233, (2006) |
 | Beyond Boveri
The tumor suppressor p16INK4a cooperates with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 to prevent centriole-pair splitting and couple the DNA-replication and centrosome-duplication cycles.
Original research paper: PLoS Biol. 4, 350 – 365, (2006) |
 | Cut the mustard
A new study identifies the excitatory ion channel TRPA1 as the sole target through which mustard oil and garlic activate primary nociceptors to produce inflammatory pain.
Original research paper: Cell 124, 1269 – 1282, (2006) |
 | Starring activity
A highly sensitive bacterial detection assay that relies on biotin-tagged phages and quantum-dot nanocomplexes is able to reveal the presence of a few dozen cells in a milliliter sample.
Original research paper: Neuron 49, 823 – 832, (2006) |
 | My enemy's enemy is my friend
Astrocytes promote oligodendrocyte myelination in response to ATP liberated from axons firing action potentials at late stages of fetal development and possibly in adult life.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103, 4841 – 4845, (2006) |
