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.
 | Breast Cancer: Rel-ating the Estrogen Receptor to Cell Invasion
De novo RelB production resulting in upregulation of Bcl-2 mediates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in estrogen receptor α (ER-α)-deficient human breast cancer cells.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biology 9, 470-478 (2007) |
 | Cell cycle arrest: Rsk-y business
The Mos-p90rsk-Erp1 MAPK signaling cascade is required for establishing and maintaining cytostatic factor (CSF)-mediated cell cycle arrest in mature Xenopus laevis oocytes.
Original research paper: Nature 446, 1100-1104 (2007) |
 | Raf kinases: Divergent roles in neuronal development
Mice with a conditional deletion of Braf or Raf1 in their neural tissue survive into adulthood, allowing researchers to study the role of B-Raf and C-Raf signaling in adult neurons.
Original research paper: Nature Neuroscience 10, 598-607 (2007) |
 | Myc and APC: When two wrongs make a right
Deletion of the Myc proto-oncogene protects mouse intestinal epithelium from the oncogenic effects of APC loss.
Original research paper: Nature 446, 676-679 (2007) |
 | Mechanisms of disease: Inhibiting γ-secretase activity
The retrieval to endoplasmic reticulum-1 (RER1) protein inhibits γ-secretase activity, making it an attractive target for the development of treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
Original research paper: J. Cell Biol. 176, 629–640 (2007) |
 | Epigenetics: Patterns of inheritance
Germ-line epigenetic MLH1 mutations, which predispose individuals to colon cancer, do not follow a Mendelian inheritance pattern, suggesting that epigenetic alterations are erased during gametogenesis.
Original research paper: N. Engl. J. Med. 356, 697–705 (2007) |
 | In brief: April 2007
Tumorigenesis | Tumor suppression | Anticancer drugs | RNA interference | Cytoskeleton | Lymphocyte migration | Lymphoid organogenesis | DNA repair | Network biology | Cell division | Development | Immune regulation | Autoimmunity | Synaptogenesis | Emotion | Stem cells | Neurotransmission | Proteomics | Microfluidics | Genomics |
 | Developmental genetics: Transitions with the benefit of Hindsight
Notch pathway proteins interact with components of the cell cycle and Hedgehog pathway to mediate the switch from proliferation to differentiation in Drosophila.
Original research paper: Dev. Cell 12, 431–442 (2007) |
 | Synaptic plasticity: Balancing LTP and LTD
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) regulates the synaptic response downstream of NMDA receptor activation, implicating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in the mediation of synaptic efficiency.
Original research paper: Neuron 53, 703–717 (2007) |
 | Informatics: Finding common ground
A bioinformatics approach to identify the off-target effects of drugs reveals unknown pharmacologies and exposes potential side effects in a cost-effective manner.
Original research paper: Nature Biotech. 25, 197–206 (2007) |
 | Techniques: DEALing with protein microarrays
A new method for attaching antibodies to a substrate offers a simple and reliable means of constructing protein microarrays.
Original research paper: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 1959–1967 (2007) |
 | Membrane trafficking: Dampening down destruction in dendritic cells
The small GTPase Rab27a regulates phagosome pH and antigen degradation by recruiting the NADPH oxidase NOX2 to phagocytic vesicles.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biol. 9, 367-378 (2007) |
 | Immunogenetics: Lucky for some
Heterozygous mutation of an adapter protein in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway confers resistance to infectious disease through decreased association with TLR2.
Original research paper: Nature Genet. 39, 523-528 (2007) |
 | Development: Chipping away at developmental networks
ChIP-on-chip analyses of developmental genes in Drosophila unveil new relationships between key signaling nodes.
Original research paper: Genes Dev. 21, 436-449 (2007) |
 | Gene expression: Across the cleft
The ETS-related transcription factor GABP recruits histone acetyltransferases or deacetylases to increase or repress acetylcholine receptor transcription in response to divergent upstream signals.
Original research paper: EMBO J. 26, 1117-1128 (2007) |
 | Methods: The sensitive side of protein-DNA interactions
Two new techniques involving PCR and mass spectrography allow researchers to sensitively and specifically detect DNA-protein binding interactions.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104, 3067-3072 (2007) |
 | Post-translational modification: Chain reaction
Two recent studies challenge previous ideas about how polyubiquitin chains are synthesized.
Original research paper: Nature 124, 27–34 (2007) |
 | Mucosal immunology: IECs keep the peace
A mediator derived from intestinal–epithelial cells (IECs) regulates immune homeostasis in the gut following exposure to a pathogen.
Original research paper: Nature 446, 552-556 (2007) |
 | Signalling: DNA damage is stressful
p53-deficient tumor cells rely on an alternative signaling pathway to activate cell-cycle checkpoints after treatment with DNA-damaging anticancer drugs.
Original research paper: Cancer Cell 11, 175–189 (2007) |
 | Neurotransmitter receptors: Location, location, location — a matter of life and death
The location — not the activation level — of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors might be crucial for the fate of neurotransmitter receptors.
Original research paper: Neuron 53, 549–562 (2007) |
 | Heart disease: Unmasking molecular mechanisms
The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that lie behind the role of a2 adrenergic receptors and cardiac calcium-induced calcium release in heart failure could aid the search for new therapeutic targets.
Original research paper: PLoS Biol. 5, e21–323 (2007) |
 | Regulatory T cells: WASP helps TReg cells sting their prey
Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) plays a controversial but important role in the development and function of regulatory T cells.
Original research paper: J. Clin. Invest. 117, 407–418 (2007) |
 | Tumorigenesis: Alternative view
Deregulation of SFRS1, a member of the SR family of alternative splicing proteins, can lead to tumorigenesis through aberrant splicing of oncogenes.
Original research paper: Nature Struc. Mol. Biol. 14, 185–193 (2007) |
 | Repair: Inhibitory signals converge
A newly identified RhoA effector mediates growth cone collapse in neurons and presents a tempting target for therapies directed at promoting neurite outgrowth after injury.
Original research paper: J. Neurosc. 27, 1702–1711 (2007) |
 | Cellular neuroscience: Social studies
Studies using CD38 knockout mice demonstrate that the dual functions of CD38 as a transporter and an enzyme are necessary for Ca2+-induced oxytocin release.
Original research paper: Nature 446, 41 – 45, (2007) |
 | Antipsychotics: Clues in the weight-gain mystery
The atypical antipsychotic drugs clozapine and olanzapine antagonize the histamine 1 receptor and activate the AMP-protein kinase (AMPK) energy homeostasis pathway, leading to weight gain.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 104, 3456–3459 (2007) |
