Top 7 papers in neuroscience

linkurl:1. Epigenetics in mind;http://beta.f1000.com/4303956?key=4djjldzr13n01dmThe body's tendency to silence the expression of one parental allele in favor of the other -- a practice known as genomic imprinting -- is much more widespread in the brain than scientists have believed, according to a new genome-wide study in mice. Surprisingly, more than 1300 genes in the mouse brain appear to exhibit "parent-of-origin" epigenetic effects.

Kessa Ligerro
Wikimedia Commons

C. Gregg, et al., Science, 329:643-8, 2010. Evaluations by Matt E. Carter and Luis de Lecea, Stanford Univ; Joachim Messing, Rutgers Univ; Yoshiho Ikeuchi and Azad Bonni, Harvard Medical School; David Sweatt, University of Alabama at Birmingham. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/4303956?key=4djjldzr13n01dm linkurl:2. Mechanotransduction proteins found;http://beta.f1000.com/5074956?key=q0d51lplrvryfv8A family of proteins, called Piezos, has been identified as important players in mechanically activated ion channels, which make possible several senses, such hearing, touch and pain sensation.B. Coste, et al., Science, 330:55-60, 2010. Evaluations by Felix Viana, UMH Instituto de Neurociencias; Paul Garrity, Brandeis Univ; Bernd Nilius, KU Leuven. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/5074956?key=q0d51lplrvryfv8 linkurl:3. Translation goes local;http://beta.f1000.com/3168959?key=0y2v7jkprk9bfyzProtein synthesis is a complicated game, but for the first time researchers have shown direct interaction between a transmembrane receptor, called DCC, with translational machinery in neurons, a step that likely facilitates localized protein manufacture.J. Tcherkezian, et al., Cell, 141:632-44, 2010. Evaluations by Kristen Kwan and Chi-Bin Chien, Univ Utah; Jacki Heraud and Michael Kiebler, Ctr for Brain Res, Med Univ Vienna, Austria; Wes Kroeze and Bryan Roth, Univ North Carolina; Luc Desgroseillers, Univ Montreal, Canada; Linda Columbus, Univ Virginia. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/3168959?key=0y2v7jkprk9bfyz linkurl:4. Third one's the charm;http://beta.f1000.com/3003957?key=zl82zj1mkdg0rqwBy comparing the three conformations in the crystal structure of a key microbacterial transporter protein, researchers propose a model for how the protein -- similar to those involved in mammalian neurotransmission -- moves substrates across the membrane. T. Shimamura, et al., Science, 328:470-3, 2010. Evaluations by Louis De Felice, Virginia Commonwealth Univ; Baruch Kanner, Hebrew Univ Hadassah Medical School, Israel; Robert Vandenberg, Univ of Sydney, Australia; Gary Rudnick, Yale Univ School of Medicine. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/3003957?key=zl82zj1mkdg0rqw linkurl:5. Source of mechanotransduction?;http://beta.f1000.com/4765957?key=6ksdc5w50wlxt30Researchers pinpoint the molecular identity of a mechanosensitive channel in C. elegans, suggesting a possible starting point for the hunt for mechanotransduction channels mediating hearing, touch, and propioception in mammals.L. Kang, et al., Neuron, 67:381-91, 2010. Evaluations by Rachel Wilson, Harvard Medical School; Andy Groves, Baylor College of Medicine; Paul Garrity, Brandeis Univ; Roger Hardie, Univ of Cambridge. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/4765957?key=6ksdc5w50wlxt30 linkurl:6. Two receptors explain MS?;http://beta.f1000.com/3580970?key=2qypylc0f82sf1cRare, dual-receptor T-cells activated by a viral infection may be at the root of multiple sclerosis, providing a possible explanation for how other autoimmune diseases are initiated as well.Q. Ji, et al., Nat Immunol, 11:628-34, 2010. Evaluations by E. Charles Snow, Univ. of Kentucky Medical Center; Nick Gascoigne, The Scripps Research Institute; Barry Rouse, Univ of Tennessee; Ken Coppieters and Matthias von Herrath, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/3580970?key=2qypylc0f82sf1c linkurl:7. Hear and now;http://beta.f1000.com/3264974?key=s70m2hjvqw3fjph

Colored scanning electron micrograph
of a section through the human inner ear.
G. Brederg/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Researchers coaxed embryonic stem cells and reprogrammed adult mouse cells into becoming the sensory hair cells that normally reside in the mammalian inner ear, thus demonstrating the steps necessary to regenerate the notoriously irreplaceable regulators of hearing and balance.K. Oshima, et al., Cell, 141:704-16, 2010. Evaluations by Nicolas Daudet and Azel Zine, INSERM U583; Ajay Chitnis, NICHD/NIH; Andy Groves, Baylor Coll of Med. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://beta.f1000.com/3264974?key=s70m2hjvqw3fjph The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 Neuroscience, as calculated on October 7, 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://beta.f1000.com/
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[28th September 2010]