NATURE AND THE NATURE RESEARCH JOURNALS PRESS RELEASE
For papers that will be published online on 01 February 2009
This press release is copyrighted to the Nature journals mentioned below.
This press release contains:
· Summaries of newsworthy papers:
Nanotechnology: Tapping in on osteoarthritis
Genetics: Clue to gene-environment interaction in Parkinson’s disease
Nature: Getting to know you
Genetics: Gene variant increases risk of essential tremor
· 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.
PICTURES: To obtain artwork from any of the journals, you must first obtain permission from the copyright holder (if named) or author of the research paper in question (if not).
NOTE: Once a paper is published, the digital object identifier (DOI) number can be used to retrieve the abstract and full text from the journal web site (abstracts are available to everyone, full text is available only to subscribers). To do this, add the DOI to the following URL: http://dx.doi.org/ (For example, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng730). For more information about DOIs and Advance Online Publication, see http://www.nature.com/ng/aop/.
HYPE: We take great care not to hype the papers mentioned on our press releases, but are sometimes accused of doing so. If you ever consider that a story has been hyped, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected], citing the specific example.
PLEASE CITE THE SPECIFIC NATURE JOURNAL AND WEBSITE AS THE SOURCE OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A HYPERLINK TO THE APPROPRIATE JOURNAL’S WEBSITE.
[1] Nanotechnology: Tapping in on osteoarthritis
DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2008.410
An atomic force microscope can detect signs of osteoarthritis long before existing diagnostic methods, according to a paper online this week in Nature Nanotechnology. The research, by Martin Stolz and colleagues, could lead to development of a minimally invasive arthroscopic tool for clinics, so that earlier treatments can be implemented.
Osteoarthritis, a debilitating degenerative joint disease prevalent among older people, starts at the molecular scale and progressively spreads to the higher architecture of the cartilage. Pain is caused by wearing down of the cartilage that cushions joints, and a decrease in the fluid that would usually keep them lubricated. At present, there are no known cures for the disease.
The atomic force microscope works by tapping the surface of a material with a sharp tip and recording the changes in the tip displacement - which corresponds to stiffness. The cartilage in osteoarthritic mice and normal aging-mice is stiffer and has thicker cartilage fibres over time. Importantly, cartilage changes were seen as early as one month using nano-sized tips, whereas routine methods and micron-sized tips did not show any damage until six months. The method could also distinguish the different grades of cartilage obtained from patients undergoing hip or knee replacements.
Author contact:
Martin Stolz (University of Basel, Switzerland)
Tel: +41 61 267 2095; Email: [email protected]
[2] Genetics: Clue to gene-environment interaction in Parkinson’s disease
DOI: 10.1038/ng.300
An explanation as to why exposure to the metal manganese is a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, is put forward in study published online this week in Nature Genetics.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of neurons that produce dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, resulting in tremor, rigidity and related symptoms. Previous work has identified several genes that are mutated in some cases of Parkinson’s disease, but their connection to each other has been obscure.
Susan Lindquist and colleagues show in yeast cells that the toxicity caused by one Parkinson’s disease-associated protein, alpha-synuclein, can be suppressed by coexpression of another, ATP13A2, suggesting that they have related functions. The authors also observe this genetic interaction in cultured rat neurons. ATP13A2 is predicted to be a metal transporter, and the team show that yeast cells lacking the gene are more sensitive to manganese.
As manganese exposure is a known risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, this work raises the possibility that individuals with mutations in the genes encoding ATP13A2, alpha-synuclein or others in this pathway may be particularly sensitive to manganese toxicity.
Author contact:
Susan Lindquist (Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA)
Tel: +617 258 5184; E-mail: [email protected]
[3] Nature: Getting to know you
DOI: 10.1038/nature07660
Scientists are beginning to understand how bacteria find their animal hosts. The research, published online this week in Nature, helps determine how symbiotic relationships occur and also how disease-causing bacteria find a suitable victim.
Bacteria often display a preference for the animals they infect but it’s not clear how they know when they've found the correct host. Mark Mandel and colleagues studied the beneficial relationship between squid and their harmless bacterial houseguests Vibrio fischeri. They show that another strain of V. fischeri, found in fish, is unable to colonize squid and that this is due to the absence of one regulatory gene - rscS. Switching on RscS in the fish-specific bacterial strain enables them to take up home in the squid.
The findings suggest that bacteria could also be reprogrammed not to associate with a particular animal host - a feat that could one day stop disease-causing bacteria in their tracks.
Author contact:
Mark Mandel (University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA)
Tel: +1 608 262 5550; E-mail: [email protected]
[4] Genetics: Gene variant increases risk of essential tremor
DOI: 10.1038/ng.299
The first genetic risk factor for the neurological disease essential tremor has been identified, according to a study published online this week in Nature Genetics. The work may lead to new approaches for the treatment of the disease.
Essential tremor is a progressive neurological disease characterized by tremor of the arms and hands, which can impair writing, drinking, eating and other everyday activities. Although prevalence estimates vary, some studies suggest that it may occur in as may as 13% of individuals older than 65. Kari Stefansson and colleagues carry out a genome-wide association study of individuals with essential tremor, and report that a variant in the gene LINGO1 increases risk of the disease. LINGO1 is involved in cell-cell interactions in the nervous system, and is also known to regulate neuronal survival. The inhibition of LINGO1 activity has been shown to promote neuronal survival and improved function in animal models of other neurological diseases, and the authors suggest that it may be a promising approach to the treatment of essential tremor.
Author contact:
Kari Stefansson (deCODE Genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland)
Tel: +354 570 1900; E-mail: [email protected]
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Items from other Nature journals to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:
Nature (http://www.nature.com/nature)
[5] Chromatin signature reveals over a thousand highly conserved large non-coding RNAs in mammals
DOI: 10.1038/nature07672
[6] Regulatory T-cell suppressor program co-opts transcription factor IRF4 to control TH2 responses
DOI: 10.1038/nature07674
[7] Transmembrane passage of hydrophobic compounds through a protein channel wall
DOI: 10.1038/nature07678
[8] Phytoplankton in the ocean use non-phosphorus lipids in response to phosphorus scarcity
DOI: 10.1038/nature07659
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturebiotechnology)
[9] Dynamic modularity in protein interaction networks predicts breast cancer outcome
DOI: 10.1038/nbt.1522
[10] Solution hybrid selection with ultra-long oligonucleotides for massively parallel targeted sequencing
DOI: 10.1038/nbt.1523
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturecellbiology)
[11] An ATM- and ATR-dependent checkpoint inactivates spindle assembly by targeting CEP63
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1835
[12] Chfr is linked to tumour metastasis through the downregulation of HDAC1
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1837
[13] SOAR and the polybasic STIM1 domains gate and regulate Orai channels
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1842
[14] The heterochromatin protein Swi6/HP1 activates replication origins at pericentromeres and the silent mating-type locus
DOI: 10.1038/ncb1845
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/nchembio)
[15] Mechanistic and functional insights into fatty acid activation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.143
[16] Golgicide A reveals essential roles for GBF1 in Golgi assembly and function
DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.144
[17] AcsD catalyzes enantioselective citrate desymmetrization in siderophore biosynthesis
DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.145
NATURE GENETICS (http://www.nature.com/naturegenetics)
[18] Mutations in the THAP1 gene are responsible for DYT6 primary torsion dystonia
DOI: 10.1038/ng.304
[19] Differential chromatin marking of introns and expressed exons by H3K36me3
DOI: 10.1038/ng.322
NATURE GEOSCIENCE (http://www.nature.com/ngeo)
[20] Growth laws for channel networks incised by groundwater flow
DOI: 10.1038/ngeo432
NATURE IMMUNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natureimmunology)
[21] The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 facilitates cytokine-induced survival of eosinophils by suppressing Bax activation
DOI: 10.1038/ni.1697
[22] The interleukin 23 receptor is essential for the terminal differentiation of interleukin 17-producing effector T helper cells in vivo
DOI: 10.1038/ni.1698
NATURE MATERIALS (http://www.nature.com/naturematerials)
[23] Magnetic memory of a single-molecule quantum magnet wired to a gold surface
DOI: 10.1038/nmat2374
[24] Supramolecular control of the magnetic anisotropy in two-dimensional high-spin Fe arrays at a metal interface
DOI: 10.1038/nmat2376
Nature MEDICINE (http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine)
[25] NAMPT is essential for the G-CSF-induced myeloid differentiation via a NAD+-sirtuin-1-dependent pathway
DOI: 10.1038/nm.1913
[26] A replication clock for Mycobacterium tuberculosis
DOI: 10.1038/nm.1915
NATURE METHODS (http://www.nature.com/nmeth)
[27] Programmed sub-cellular release for studying the dynamics of cell detachment
DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.1299
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/nnano)
[28] Bottom-up growth of fully transparent contact layers of indium tin oxide nanowires for light-emitting devices
DOI:10.1038/nnano.2008.418
[29] Current-driven atomic waterwheels
DOI:10.1038/nnano.2008.411
[30] Engineering the coupling between molecular spin qubits by coordination chemistry (N&V)
DOI:10.1038/nnano.2008.404
Nature NEUROSCIENCE (http://www.nature.com/natureneuroscience)
[31] Ephrin-B3 reverse signaling through Grb4 and cytoskeletal regulators mediates axon pruning
DOI: 10.1038/nn.2254
[32] Intra-retinal visual cycle required for rapid and complete cone dark adaptation
DOI: 10.1038/nn.2258
[33] The precision of remote context memories does not require the hippocampus
DOI: 10.1038/nn.2263
Nature PHYSICS (http://www.nature.com/naturephysics)
[34] Frequency-specific flow control in microfluidic circuits with passive elastomeric features
DOI: 10.1038/nphys1196
[35] Quantum interference and Klein tunnelling in graphene heterojunctions
DOI: 10.1038/nphys1198
[36] Electric displacement as the fundamental variable in electronic-structure calculations
DOI: 10.1038/nphys1185
Nature STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natstructmolbiol)
[37] Helix movement is coupled to displacement of the second extracellular loop in rhodopsin activation
DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1549
[38] Nucleosomes can invade DNA territories occupied by their neighbors
DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1551
[39] Biological basis for restriction of microRNA targets to the 3’ untranslated region in mammalian mRNAs
DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1552
[40] MIA40 is an oxidoreductase that catalyzes oxidative protein folding in mitochondria
DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1553
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[41] An orthogonal proteomic-genomic screen identifies AIM2 as a cytoplasmic DNA sensor for the inflammasome
DOI:10.1038/ni.1702
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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
Parkville: 6
Sydney: 2
AUSTRIA
Vienna: 4, 41
BRAZIL
Santa Maria: 28
CANADA:
Toronto: 9, 33
CHILE
Valparaiso: 28
CHINA
Guang Xi: 25
CZECH REPUBLIC
Nove Hrady: 8
Trebon: 8
FRANCE
Gif-sur-Yvette: 23
Grenoble: 24
Marseille: 8
Paris: 23, 24
GERMANY
Darmstadt: 11
Freiburg: 21
Garching: 24
Hannover: 26
Kiel: 25
Martinsried: 1
Munich: 4
Stuttgart: 24
Tubingen: 4
GREECE
Crete: 40
ICELAND
Reykjavik: 4
INDIA
Bangalore: 15, 24
Hyderabad: 15
New Delhi: 15
IRELAND
Cork: 28
Co. Tipperary: 28
Galway: 38
Limerick: 28
ISRAEL
Rehovot: 37
ITALY
Florence: 40
Genoa: 1
Modena: 23, 30
Parma: 30
Sesto Fiorentino: 23
Trieste: 11
JAPAN
Kobe: 14
Kyoto: 11
Osaka: 14
NETHERLANDS
Leiden: 38
Utrecht: 24
PORTUGAL
Lisbon: 9
SOUTH KOREA
Seoul: 12
SPAIN
Barcelona: 24, 28
SWEDEN
Gothenburg: 24
SWITZERLAND
Basel: 1
Lausanne: 24
Neuchatel: 1
UNITED KINGDOM
Belfast: 29
Cambridge: 19
Coventry: 17
Dundee: 38
Edinburgh: 33
Essex: 37
London: 9, 11
Manchester: 30
St Andrews: 17
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Alabama
Auburn: 34
Tuscaloosa: 2
Arkansas
Little Rock: 26
California
La Jolla: 8
Los Angeles: 8
Palo Alto: 22
Pasadena: 12
San Diego: 16
Santa Barbara: 36
Santa Clara: 10
Stanford: 39
Colorado
Denver: 26
Connecticut
New Haven: 37
Georgia
Athens: 3
Atlanta: 4
Hawaii
Honolulu: 8
Kaneohe: 8
Illinois
Maywood: 3
Indiana
West Lafayette: 2
Louisiana
New Orleans: 20
Maryland
Baltimore: 13, 27
Bethesda: 22
Massachusetts
Boston: 5, 10, 16, 19, 21, 32
Cambridge: 2, 5, 10, 20
Charlestown: 5
Woods Hole: 8
Worcester: 7, 20
Missouri
St Louis: 16, 32
New Jersey
Piscataway: 36
New York
Bronx: 18
New York: 6, 18, 35, 37
Stony Brook: 37
Oregon
Portland: 8
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia: 2
Reading: 34
Texas
Austin: 20
Dallas: 13, 31
Houston: 25
Virginia
Charlottesville: 34
Washington
Seattle: 6, 26
Wisconsin
Madison: 3, 21
PRESS CONTACTS
For media inquiries relating to embargo policy for all the Nature Research Journals:
Rachel Twinn (Nature London)
Tel: +44 20 7843 4658; E-mail: [email protected]
Katherine Anderson (Nature New York)
Tel: +1 212 726 9231; E-mail: [email protected]
Ruth Francis (Head of Press, 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 Geoscience (London)
Heike Langenberg
Tel: +44 20 7843 4042; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Immunology (New York)
Laurie Dempsey
Tel: +1 212 726 9372; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Materials (London)
Alison Stoddart
Tel: +44 20 7843 4593; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Medicine (New York)
Juan Carlos Lopez
Tel: +1 212 726 9325; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Methods (New York)
Hugh Ash
Tel: +1 212 726 9627; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Nanotechnology (London)
Peter Rodgers
Tel: +44 20 7014 4019; Email: [email protected]
Nature Neuroscience (New York)
Kalyani Narasimhan
Tel: +1 212 726 9319; E-mail: [email protected]
Nature Photonics (Tokyo)
Oliver Graydon
Tel: +81 3 3267 8776; 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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