Brain stimulation during sleep boosts memory

Summaries of newsworthy papers from Nature and Nature Research Journals include: DNA sequencing reveals bacterial evolution in the lab, Kidney disease caused by mutation may be reversible, Benefits of fever, Redefining receptor organization – again.

NATURE AND THE NATURE RESEARCH JOURNALS PRESS RELEASE

For papers that will be published online on 5 November 2006

This press release is copyrighted to the Nature journals mentioned below.

This press release contains:

· Summaries of newsworthy papers:

Sleep: Brain stimulation during sleep boosts memory – Nature

DNA sequencing reveals bacterial evolution in the lab – Nature Genetics

Kidney disease caused by mutation may be reversible - Nature Genetics

Benefits of fever – Nature Immunology

Redefining receptor organization – again – Nature Methods

· Mention of papers to be published at the same time with the same embargo

· Geographical listing of authors

PDFs of all the papers mentioned on this release can be found in the relevant journal’s section of http://press.nature.com. Press contacts for the Nature journals are listed at the end of this release.

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*********************************NATURE*******************************
(http://www.nature.com/nature)

[1] Sleep: Brain stimulation during sleep boosts memory

Applying a gentle current to the brain during a particular phase of sleep can enhance memory, a study online this week’ in Nature suggests.

It’s thought that sleep helps the brain to consolidate memories, so certain tasks learned before a nap are better remembered than those learned without a subsequent snooze. Jan Born and colleagues now show that applying an electric current with a certain frequency to the scalp during non-rapid-eye-movement sleep can induce a memory enhancement of around 8% on a word-learning task.

Five bouts of the current, which was an oscillating potential similar to that seen naturally in slow wave sleep, were applied over half an hour. If the frequency of the current or the phase of sleep in which it was applied were altered, the memory enhancement was not seen. And the effect is all the more impressive because the effect was seen in medical students, who are presumed to be pretty good at remembering words already.

Author contact

Jan Born (University of Luebeck, Germany)
Tel: +49 451 500 3641; E-mail: [email protected]

Other papers from Nature to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

[2] In vivo enhancer analysis of human conserved non-coding sequences
DOI: 10.1038/nature05295

[3] Self-incompatibility in Papaver targets soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases in pollen
DOI: 10.1038/nature05311

[4] Crystal structure of a protein phosphatase 2A heterotrimeric holoenzyme
DOI: 10.1038/nature05351

*******************************NATURE GENETICS *****************************
(http://www.nature.com/naturegenetics)

[5] DNA sequencing reveals bacterial evolution in the lab

DOI: 10.1038/ng1906

Whole-genome sequencing allows bacterial evolution to be observed on a laboratory timescale, scientists report in a paper to be published in the December issue of Nature Genetics. Experimental studies of bacterial evolution have been carried out for many years, but the identification of the genetic mutations that underlie the observed changes in bacterial growth properties has been a difficult and laborious process.

Bernhard Palsson and colleagues applied an approach recently developed by Nimblegen Systems, Inc. for rapid, cost-effective genome sequencing. They grew a strain of Escherichia coli in a medium in which glycerol was the main carbon and energy source, and then isolated individual bacteria from each of 5 populations after approximately 660 generations – 44 days. Whole-genome sequencing allowed the authors to identify 9 sequence differences between bacteria isolated at the end of the experiment, and the strain that was used at the start.

Some of the mutations could be easily understood in terms of E. coli biology—mutations in the gene encoding glycerol kinase, for example, which catalyzes the first step in glycerol breakdown. Others were found in genes that previously had no known role in glycerol metabolism, hinting at the complexity of a bacterium’s response to changing environmental conditions. This approach promises to improve our understanding of evolution at the genetic level, both in bacteria, and in other organisms with modestly sized genomes.

Author contact:
Bernhard Palsson (University of California, San Diego, CA, USA)
Tel: +1 858 534 5668; E-mail: [email protected]

[6] Kidney disease caused by mutation may be reversible
DOI: 10.1038/ng1918

The identification of a new genetic cause of a damaging kidney disease is reported in a study to be published in the December issue of Nature Genetics. The particular variant of nephrotic syndrome under study has also provided the first evidence that some cases of the disease may be fully reversible after therapy.

Nephrotic syndrome is caused by a malfunction of the filtering apparatus of the kidney, which leads to body swelling and kidney damage. In many cases it leads to severe kidney disease, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. Mutations in several genes have been found to underlie the disorder, but 70% of all cases remain unexplained.

Friedhelm Hildebrandt and colleagues identify mutations in the gene PLCE1 in 5 families with early-onset nephrotic syndrome. Two of the children in these families responded fully to steroid therapy, and remain free of symptoms several years after the cessation of treatment. While the symptoms of some forms of nephrotic syndrome are known to respond to steroid treatment, this is the first report of a fully reversible form of the disease. The authors suggest that the developmental defect defined by loss of PLCE1 function may allow for a window in time during which treatment can be effective.

Author contact:
Friedhelm Hildebrandt (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA)
Tel: +1 734 615 7285; E-mail: [email protected]

Other papers from Nature Genetics to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

[7] CXorf6 is a causative gene for hypospadias
DOI: 10.1038/ng1900

[8] A double-switch system regulates male courtship behavior in male and female Drosophila melanogaster
DOI: 10.1038/ng1908

***************************NATURE IMMUNOLOGY ******************************
(http://www.nature.com/natureimmunology)

[9] Benefits of fever
DOI: 10.1038/ni1406

Developing a fever gives the immune system a boost, according to a study in the December issue of Nature Immunology. Sharon Evans and colleagues show elevating the internal temperature in mice, mimicking the fever response to infection, increases the number of immune cells that are recruited to the lymph nodes where these cells are educated and armed to seek out and destroy the offending pathogen.

Lymph nodes act as the powerhouse of the immune system. Cells and particles from nearby tissues drain into lymph nodes and alert lymphocytes, immune cells that enter nodes via the bloodstream, to the presence of foreign intruders.

Evans’ group reports that fever acts on cells called ‘high endothelial venule cells’ (HEVs), which function as gatekeepers between blood-borne cells and lymph nodes. Fever triggers HEVs to produce more CCL21, a molecule that recruits lymphocytes to the lymph node from the blood. Fever also increases the number of adhesion molecules on the surface of HEVs, resulting in more efficient lymphocyte entry into the nodes. Indeed, lymph nodes swollen by increased numbers of immune cells, as seen with mumps disease, are commonly recognized as a sign of infection.

So when suffering with a cold if you consider reaching drugs to reduce your temperature, remember that fever can actually be good for you.

Author contact:
Sharon S Evans (Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA)
Tel: +1 716 845 3421; E-mail: [email protected]

For additional comment on the paper:
Andrew D Luster (Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA)
Tel: + 1 617 726 5710; E-mail: [email protected]

Other papers from Nature Immunology to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

[10] Transcriptional regulator Id2 mediates CD8+ T cell immunity
DOI: 10.1038/ni1403

[11] Integrin signaling in neutrophils and macrophages uses adaptors containing immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs
DOI: 10.1038/ni1407

********************************NATURE METHODS********************************
(http://www.nature.com/nmeth)

[12] Redefining receptor organization – again
DOI: 10.1038/nmeth978

Serious doubt is cast on widely accepted models of how a crucial class of cell surface receptors organize themselves, in a report to be published in the December issue of Nature Methods.

Large proteins imbedded in the membranes of our cells mediate many of our most fundamental biological functions. Taste and smell result from small molecules in food and air binding to these proteins to trigger specific responses in the sensory cells that are then relayed to our brains. These proteins, called G-protein coupled receptors, also mediate many critical internal biological processes that involve communication between cells and are a principal target of many therapeutic drugs.

These receptors were thought to function like single sentinels manning the walls of an isolated outpost. Each looks for signals from the outside and relays them to innumerable others within the walls so that everyone can respond appropriately.

In the 1990s evidence started to show that these receptors did not function as lone sentinels but as pairs who cooperated in relaying each outside signal. But it was difficult to determine if each sentinel was truly acting alone or in concert with another.

Simon Davis and colleagues made adaptations to the principal experiment used to examine the organization of these cell membrane receptors in an attempt to make the results more conclusive. After testing the method on several different membrane receptors it appears that at least some of these receptor types only interact randomly and do not form true pairs.

In an accompanying News & Views Martin Lohse comments on these changing models of G-protein coupled receptor function and calls for a re-assessment of reports of dimer formation.

Author contact:
Simon Davis (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
Tel: +44 1865 221 336; Email: [email protected]

Additional contact for comment on paper:

Martin Lohse (University of Wuerzburg, Germany)
Tel: +49 931 201 48400; Email: [email protected]

Other papers from Nature Methods to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

[13] Targeted chromosome elimination from ES-somatic hybrid cells
DOI: 10.1038/nmeth973

****************************************************************************
Items from other Nature journals to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/nchembio)

[14] Natural combinatorial peptide libraries in cyanobacterial symbionts of marine ascidians
DOI: 10.1038/nchembio829

Nature PHYSICS (http://www.nature.com/naturephysics)

[15] Anisotropic scattering and anomalous normal-state transport in a high-temperature superconductor
DOI: 10.1038/nphys449

NATURE MATERIALS (http://www.nature.com/naturematerials)

[16] Transformation pathways of silica under high pressure
DOI: 10.1038/nmat1760

[17] Tunable Frohlich polarons in organic single-crystal transistors
DOI: 10.1038/nmat1774

[18] Rotation of orbital stripes and the consequent charge-polarized state in bilayer manganites
DOI: 10.1038/nmat1773

Nature MEDICINE (http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine)

[19] Quantification of antibody responses against multiple antigens of the two infectious forms of Vaccinia virus provides a benchmark for smallpox vaccination
DOI: 10.1038/nm1457

[20] Hypoxia causes angiopoietin 2-mediated acute lung injury and necrotic cell death
DOI: 10.1038/nm1494

Nature BIOTECHNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturebiotechnolgy)

[21] Reversal of mouse hepatic failure using an implanted liver-assist device containing ES cell–derived hepatocytes
DOI: 10.1038/nbt1257

[22] BMP-4 is required for hepatic specification of mouse embryonic stem cell–derived definitive endoderm
DOI: 10.1038/nbt1258

Nature NEUROSCIENCE (http://www.nature.com/natureneuroscience)

[23] A diacylglycerol kinase modulates long-term thermotactic behavioral plasticity in C. elegans
DOI: 10.1038/nn1796

NATURE CELL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturecellbiology)

[24] Key components of the fission machinery are interchangeable
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1503

[25] SUMO-specific protease SUSP4 positively regulates p53 by promoting Mdm2 self-ubiquitination
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1512

[26] Exo70 interacts with the Arp2/3 complex and regulates cell migration
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1505

Nature STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natstructmolbiol)

[27] CDK1 and calcineurin regulate Maskin association with eIF4E and translational control of cell cycle progression
DOI: 10.1038/nsmb1169

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GEOGRAPHICAL LISTING OF AUTHORS

The following list of places refers to the whereabouts of authors on the papers numbered in this release. The listing may be for an author's main affiliation, or for a place where they are working temporarily. Please see the PDF of the paper for full details.

AUSTRALIA
Brisbane: 15

AUSTRIA
Vienna: 6

CANADA:

Burnaby: 15

FRANCE

Illkirch: 7

GERMANY

Berlin: 6

Bonn: 18

Cologne: 6, 22

Freiburg: 6

Hanover: 6

Heidelberg: 6

Kiel: 9

Lubeck: 1

Marburg: 6

Munich: 6

HUNGARY

Budapest: 11

ISRAEL
Tel Aviv: 6

ITALY
Coppito-L’Aquila: 17
Pavia: 7

Santa Maria Imbaro : 24

JAPAN

Kodaira: 7

Kumamoto: 7

Kyoto : 13, 21

Nara : 22

Okayama : 21

Okazaki : 7

Osaka: 21

Saitama: 13

Sendai: 18

Tokyo: 7, 13, 18, 25

Tsukuba: 18

KOREA

Gwangju: 21

Seoul: 18, 25

NETHERLANDS

Delft: 17

PORTUGAL

Porto: 12

RUSSIA

Moscow: 6

TURKEY

Izmir: 6

UNITED KINGDOM

Birmingham: 3

Bristol: 15

Cambridge: 13

London: 6, 19

Midlothian: 21

Oxford: 12

St Andrews: 15

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

California

Berkeley: 2

La Jolla: 10, 14, 19

Menlo Park: 21

San Diego: 5

San Francisco: 2, 11, 20

Walnut Creek: 2

Connecticut

New Haven: 20

West Haven: 20

Florida

Tallahassee : 15

Illinois

Chicago: 1, 21

Indiana:

West Lafayette: 26

Maryland

Rockville: 14

Massachusetts

Boston: 9, 24

Cambridge: 20, 23

Charlestown: 6

Waltham: 23

Worcester: 27

Michigan

Ann Arbor: 6, 16

Nebraska:

Omaha: 21

New Hampshire

Lebanon: 5

New Jersey:

Piscataway: 26

New York

Buffalo: 9

New York: 5, 22

Rochester: 6

Syracuse: 6

North Carolina

Raleigh: 16

Oregon

Beaverton: 14

Corvallis: 8

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia: 26

Rhode Island

Providence: 8

Tennessee

Nashville: 20

Texas

El Paso: 16

Utah

Salt Lake City: 14

Washington:

Seattle: 4

Wisconsin

Madison: 5

PRESS CONTACTS…

For media inquiries relating to embargo policy for all the Nature Research Journals:

Katherine Anderson (Nature London)
Tel: +44 20 7843 4502; E-mail: [email protected]

Ruth Francis (Senior Press Officer, Nature, London)
Tel: +44 20 7843 4562; E-mail: [email protected]

For media inquiries relating to editorial content/policy for the Nature Research Journals, please contact the journals individually:

Nature Biotechnology (New York)
Peter Hare
Tel: +1 212 726 9284; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Cell Biology (London)
Bernd Pulverer
Tel: +44 20 7843 4892; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Chemical Biology (Boston)
Andrea Garvey
Tel: +1 617 475 9241, E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Genetics (New York)
Orli Bahcall
Tel: +1 212 726 9311; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Immunology (New York)
Laurie Dempsey
Tel: +1 212 726 9372; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Materials (London)
Maria Bellantone
Tel: +44 20 7843 4556; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Medicine (New York)
Juan Carlos Lopez
Tel: +1 212 726 9325; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Methods (New York)
Allison Doerr
Tel: +1 212 726 9393; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Nanotechnology (London)
Peter Rodgers
Tel: +44 20 7014 4019; Email: [email protected]

Nature Neuroscience (New York)
Sandra Aamodt (based in California)
Tel: +1 530 795 3256; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Physics (London)
Alison Wright
Tel: +44 20 7843 4555; E-mail: [email protected]

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (New York)
Michelle Montoya
Tel: +1 212 726 9326; E-mail: [email protected]

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Published: 05 Nov 2006

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