Graphic: Courtesy of Scott Stevens  ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS: In the penta-snRNP model, all five spliceosomal snRNPs interact with the substrate pre-mRNA as a single, discrete particle. Spliceosome assembly in yeast extracts also could occur by interaction of the U1 snRNP with the pre-mRNA, followed by a tetra-snRNP joining to form a functionally identical particle. (Reprinted with permission from Elsevier Science, Molecular Cell, 9:31-4, 2002.) In multicellular organisms, the earliest prod

The Faculty of 1000 is aWeb-based literature awareness tool published by BioMed Central. For more information visit www.facultyof1000.com. Plants need nitrogen to grow, which they derive from 'fixed'or chemically available nitrogen in the soil. How the nitrogen is extracted happens through a process called biological nitrogen fixation. About half of the world's fixed nitrogen exists because of it; the other half is industrially supplied as fertilizer. But to scientists, the natural fix is wha

Accumulation of normal prion protein in the cytosol causes neurodegeneration and conversion to the aberrant form.

Nuclear transfer technique is a culprit in causing abnormalities.

The Faculty of 1000 is aWeb-based literature awareness tool published by BioMed Central. For more information visit www.facultyof1000.com. Viruses are evolutionary wiseguys; they have devised elaborate weapons that allow them to sneak past immune system defenses. But a team at King's College, London, has shown that in the case of HIV-1 infection, some human T cells are not completely vulnerable to an HIV-1 viral attack. Michael Malim and colleagues have found a human gene, CEM15, whose product

Rockefeller University researchers report potential defense and rapid-detection system.

Image: Courtesy of Roderick MacKinnon MAPPING THE PATH: The transmembrane pore of K+ channels is composed of four identical subunits, of which two are shown. The ion pathway contains a narrow selectivity filter (yellow) and a wide central cavity (asterisk). Three helical elements include the outer helix (M1), pore helix (P), and inner helix (M2). The gate is formed by the inner helix Bundle. (Reprinted with permission from Nature © 2002) Underlying every thought, heartbeat and movem

Volume 16 | Issue 13 | 26 | Jun. 24, 2002 Previous | Next Cell Death: Different Mechanisms Produce Different Outcomes Cells die for diverse reasons, and the consequences are just as distinct | By Nicole Johnston Cell death keeps the cellular balance in check by ridding organisms of unwanted cells, ensuring normal development and protecting against tumor formation and viral infection. Yet increasingly, cell death is being implicated in a