A space-filling representation of a ubiquitin moleculeIMAGE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, ROGERDODD1. SWEET proteins found
A new class of proteins, dubbed SWEETs, function as glucose transporters, shuttling sugar molecules out of plant, worm and human cells. In some plants, SWEET proteins are co-opted by bacterial pathogens to deliver nutrition to the invaders.
L.Q. Chen et al., "Sugar transporters for intercellular exchange and nutrition of pathogens," Nature, 468:527-32, 2010. Evaluations by Heng-Cheng Hu and Caren Chang, Univ Maryland; Eric Van Der Graaff and Thomas Roitsch, Univ Graz; Michael Gjedde Palmgren, Univ Copenhagen; Giles Oldroyd, John Innes Cen; Julian Schroeder, UCSD; Akiko Sugio and Saskia Hogenhout, John Innes Cen; John Patrick, Univ Newcastle, Australia; David Alpers, Wash U Sch of Med; Bruno Stieger, Univ Hosp Zurich; Tapio Palva, Univ Helsinki; H Ekkehard Neuhaus, Univ Kaiserslautern, Germany. Free F1000 Evaluation
2. TRIMming retroviral infections
TRIM5, a ubiquitin ligase that helps thwart retroviral...
T. Pertel et al., "TRIM5 is an innate immune sensor for the retrovirus capsid lattice," Nature, 472:361-5, 2011. Evaluated by Qian Yin and Hao Wu, Weill Med Coll, Cornell Univ; Gijs Versteeg and Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Mount Sinai School of Med; Vojo Deretic, Univ New Mexico. Free F1000 evaluation
3. Immune-driven tumorigenesis?
Researchers identify a role for MyD88, an adaptor protein for Toll-like receptors, which act to recognize microbial intruders, in spontaneous tumor formation in the guts of mice, linking innate immune signaling with intestinal tumorigenesis.
S. Rakoff-Nahoum, R. Medzhitov, "Regulation of spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis through the adaptor protein MyD88," Science, 317:124-7, 2007. Evaluated by Michelle Rooks and Wendy Garrett, Harvard ; Lora Hooper, UT Southwestern Med Cen, Maria Rescigno, European Inst Oncology; Patrick S Moore, Univ Pitt. Free F1000 evaluation
In mice adipose tissue, white blood cells known as eosinophils produce interleukin (IL)-4, maintaining populations of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs), which mediate glucose homeostasis.
D. Wu et al., "Eosinophils sustain adipose alternatively activated macrophages associated with glucose homeostasis," Science, 332:243-7, 2011. Evaluated by Thomas Nutman, NIH; Dhaya Seshasayee and Flavius Martin, Genentech; Alberto Mantovani, Istit Clinico Humanitis, Univ Milan. Free F1000 evaluation
5. Worm healing details revealed
Parasitic worm infections are known to improve symptoms in patients with a type of inflammatory bowel disease known as ulcerative colitis. Now, researchers identify a role for interleukin (IL)-22 and T helper cytokines, providing new clues for how parasitic worms could be used to treat the disease.
M.J. Broadhurst et al., "IL-22+ CD4+ T cells are associated with therapeutic trichuris trichiura infection in an ulcerative colitis patient," Sci Transl Med, 2:60ra88, 2010. Evaluated by Thirumalai Ramalingam and Thomas Wynn, NIH; Padraic Fallon, Trinity College Dublin; Dhaya Seshasayee and Flavius Martin, Genentech. Free F1000 evaluation
The largest genetic survey of human gut microbes -- a metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples from 124 Europeans -- identifies 3.3 million genes in more than 1,000 prevalent bacterial species.
J. Qin et al., "A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by metagenomic sequencing," Nature, 464:59-65, 2010. Evaluated by Michelle Rooks and Wendy Garrett, Havard; M?ire Begley and Paul Cotter, Teagasc; Andrew Anfora and Scott Lesley, Genomics Inst Novartis Res Found. Free F1000 evaluation
Researchers propose a solution to the partner choice problem of the evolution of mutualism -- with whom should organisms cooperate? Their idea is that nature can find partners by imposing costs and rewards that allow potential partners to screen themselves, similar to how employers recruit appropriate employees.
M. Archetti, et al., "Let the right one in: a microeconomic approach to partner choice in mutualisms," Am Nat, 177:75-85, 2011. Evaluated by Zhanshan (Sam) Ma and Larry Forney, Univ Idaho. Free F1000 evaluation
The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 in Microbiology, as calculated on May 26, 2011. 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 http://f1000.com.
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