Top 7 in cell biology

1. Parasite's unusual metabolism __Plasmodium falciparum__ may have evolved a unique, non-cyclic version of the textbook energy-producing process in cells known as the Krebs cycle -- presumably as an adaptation to living inside human blood cells -- a finding that could lead to new Malaria drug targets. K.L. Olszewski et al., linkurl:Nature,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20686576?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 2 466:774-8. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/tp16n4ws0xhmqc8/id/4568990 Paul Roepe, Georgetown Univ.; Robert Abraham, Pfizer; Frank Seeber, Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin; ID: 4568990

Microtubule segment
Image:Wikimedia Commons

2. Overlapping microtubules Researchers identified two proteins essential for monitoring the extent to which microtubules, spun from the poles of dividing cells, overlap when they meet in a region known as the midzone in vitro -- furthering the understanding of how microtubules orchestrate the partitioning of a cell's contents into two daughter cells. P. Bieling et al., linkurl:Cell,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20691901?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 6 142:420-32. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/k2vzhlr13gl66d8/id/4795958 Linda Wordeman, Univ. Washington School of Medicine; Sidney Shaw, Indiana Univ; ID: 4795958 3. More on cell division A complex of proteins crucial for the alignment and separation of chromosomes in dividing cells is directed to the centromeres by the phosphorylating actions of a specific kinase -- thus contributing a more detailed picture of the molecular mechanisms underlying mitosis. F. Wang, et al., linkurl:Science,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20705812?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 12 doi: 10.1126/science.1189435. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/377m7xt67t8w91t/id/4884975 Kyung Lee, NIH; Rene Medema, Univ. Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands; Stephanie Ems-McClung and Claire Walczak, Indiana Univ; ID: 4884975 4. Stiffening embryos Using a novel combination of techniques, researchers gained a deeper understanding of the role of microtubules, actomyosin contractions, and a group of enzymes known as Rho family GTPases in regulating the stiffness of frog embryos, an important player in morphogenesis. J. Zhou et al., linkurl:Development,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20630946?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctnlink 2010 Aug 137:2785-94. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/9630s7k8g6tmq7c/id/4234956 John Wallingford, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Ronen Zaidel-Bar, National Univ. of Singapore; Michel Labouesse, Centre National de la Reserche Scientifique, France; ID: 4234956 5. Rewiring heart cells Cardiomyocyte-like cells can be generated from fibroblasts in the heart using a combination of three transcription factors that are involved in heart development, representing a potentially powerful therapeutic tool for heart failure. M. Ieda et al., linkurl:Cell,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20691899?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 6 142:375-86. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/6lykbdjymvhkhxf/id/4873956 Enrique Lara-Pezzi and Nadia Rosenthal, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL); ID: 4873956 6. A melange of infections The understanding and treatment of infectious diseases are complicated by the observation that 20 percent of cryptococcosis cases, which are caused by the fungal pathogen __Cryptococcus neoformans__, involve multiple strains. M. Desnos-Ollivier et al., linkurl:mBio,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20689742?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 1(1) doi:10.1128/mBio.00091-10. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/vm48v7rzx5tcwcf/id/4799956 Arturo Casadevall, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Wenjun Li and Joe Heitman, Duke Univ. Medical Center; ID: 4799956 7. Methylating enzyme Researchers have discovered the first enzyme responsible for adding methyl groups to the amino-terminus of proteins, shedding light on this poorly-understood posttranslational modification and how it may regulate the function of certain proteins in cells. C.E. Schaner Tooley et al., linkurl:Nature,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20668449?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn 2010 Aug 26 466:1125-28. linkurl:Eval by;http://f1000biology.com/article/3x00hhlpk7njxyx/id/4489956 Paul Clarke, University of Dundee, UK; Philip Cole, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; ID: 4489956 The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 Cell Biology, as calculated on September 20, 2010. Faculty Members evaluate and rate the most important papers in their field. To see the latest rankings, search the database, and read daily evaluations, visit linkurl:http://f1000.com.;http://f1000.com
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[24th August 2010]