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.
 | Senescence: DNA damage response triggers cytokine production
Severe genotoxic stress induces senescence and stimulates the DNA damage response pathway to induce secretion of inflammatory cytokines.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biology 11, 973-979 (2009) |
 | Kinases: Free ubiquitin!
The E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF6 generates Lys63-linked unanchored polyubiquitin chains that bind to the TAK1 and IKK complexes to promote NF-κB activation.
Original research paper: Nature 461, 114-119 (2009) |
 | GPCR subunits: Separate but not equal
A functional complementation assay reveals that maximal heterotrimeric G-protein activation is achieved by agonist binding to one subunit of a dopamine D2 receptor dimer.
Original research paper: Nature Chemical Biology 5, 688-695 (2009) |
 | Oncogenesis: The many faces of C-CBL
Mutations in the E3 ubiquitin ligase C-CBL that unmask its oncogenic potential have been detected in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
Original research paper: Nature 460, 904-908 (2009) |
 | In brief: August 2009
Stem cells | 2010 Cytokines | Signalling | Metastasis | Metabolism | Signalling | Transcriptomics | Synaptic plasticity | Cancer | Proteomics |
 | Cell signalling: Telomerase gets Wnt talking
The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) subunit of telomerase interacts with the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor BRG1 at specific sites in Wnt-dependent target genes to regulate Wnt–β-catenin-mediated transcription.
Original research paper: Nature 460, 66-72 (2009) |
 | Dendritic cells: CD14 can do it alone
In dendritic cells, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of IL-2 depends on CD14-mediated activation of the transcription factor NFAT, but is independent of Toll-like receptor 4.
Original research paper: Nature 460, 264-268 (2009) |
 | Metastasis: T-ALL order
The chemokine receptor CCR7 is necessary for infiltration of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells into the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that pharmacological inhibition of CCR7 might help reduce CNS relapse.
Original research paper: Nature 459, 1000-1004 (2009) |
 | Evolution: Protein kinases mix it up
High-throughput mass spectrometry of the phosphoproteomes of three yeast species that are separated by 400–600 million years of evolution — Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe — has revealed the rate at which kinase–substrate interactions change.
Original research paper: PLoS Biol. 7, e1000134 (2009) |
 | Virology: New shapes of prions
Modification of a system for rapid amplification of misfolded prion proteins allows de novo generation of these infectious molecules and provides a glimpse of the diverse range of possible misfolded prion strains.
Original research paper: PLoS Pathog. 5, e1000421-813 (2009) |
 | Lipid metabolism: An 'IDOL' regulator of blood cholesterol levels
IDOL is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) for degradation.
Original research paper: Science 325, 100-104 (2009) |
 | B cell responses: Regulating receptor editing
NF-κB modulates B-cell-receptor editing to help prevent the development of self-reactive B cells.
Original research paper: J. Exp. Med. 206, 1803-1816 (2009) |
 | Endocytosis: Increased trafficking
GOLPH3 might activate mTOR signaling in cancer cell lines by associating with the retromer complex and regulating receptor recycling.
Original research paper: Nature 459, 1085-1090 (2009) |
 | Neuron–glia interactions: Kif1b motors mRNA
The kinesin motor protein Kif1b is essential for the delivery of specific mRNA molecules to the myelinating processes of oligodendrocytes, and for the correct outgrowth of myelinated axons.
Original research paper: Nature Genet. 41, 854-858 (2009) |
 | Ocular disorders: Seeing the potential of targeting CCR3
CC-chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) signaling stimulates pathogenic blood vessel growth in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), suggesting that inhibition of CCR3 could help protect against severe AMD.
Original research paper: Nature 460, 225-230 (2009) |
 | Cancer biology: WAVEing goodbye to invasion
Reduced expression of the WAVE subunit CYFIP1 (cytoplasmic FMR1 interacting protein 1) causes the loss of epithelial cell adhesion and promotes tumor progression.
Original research paper: Cell 137, 1047-1061 (2009) |
 | T cell responses: Quantity and quality control by mTOR
mTOR possesses a T-cell-intrinsic role as a regulator of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell differentiation.
Original research paper: Immunity 30, 832-844 (2009) |
 | Cancer pain: Getting on my nerves
Cancer-related pain is induced by secreted granulocyte and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR and GM-CSFRα)-mediated activation of the Jak–STAT and MEK–Erk pathways.
Original research paper: Nature Med. 15, 802-807 (2009) |
 | Ion channels: A regulatory sidekick
Cytoplasmic tetratricopeptide repeat-containing Rab8b-interacting protein (TRIP8b) has been identified as a regulatory auxiliary subunit of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) ion channels.
Original research paper: J. Neurosci. 29, 6250-6265 (2009) |
 | Synthetic biology: Network countdown
Researchers lay the foundation for RNA- or DNA-based networks that will self-destruct after being exposed to a predetermined number of stimuli.
Original research paper: Science 324, 1199-1202 (2009) |
 | Cell signalling: Time for work?
A fluorescent bioprobe reveals the spatiotemporal activation of the small GTPase Cdc42 in developing Drosophila melanogaster embryos.
Original research paper: Science 324, 1338-1340 (2009) |
 | Innate immunity: DCs take one for the team
Dendritic cells that are infected with pathogens such as Legionella pneumophila undergo rapid apoptosis, preventing further dissemination of the bacteria.
Original research paper: PLoS Pathog. 5, e1000478 (2009) |
 | Tumorigenesis: Cone cells set the stage
The loss of the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma protein (RB) in eye cone cells suppresses cell death and promotes cell survival, leading to the development of the cancer retinoblastoma.
Original research paper: Cell 137, 1018-1031 (2009) |
 | Pain: A parting of ways
Delta and mu opioid receptors are expressed in distinct neuron populations and regulate different pain modalities.
Original research paper: Cell 137, 1148-1159 (2009) |
 | Anticancer drugs: microRNA suppresses liver cancer
Reinstating the expression of miR-26a, a microRNA that is specifically downregulated in liver cancer cells, suppresses tumor progression by repressing cyclin D2 and cyclin E2.
Original research paper: Cell 137, 1005-1017 (2009) |
