Fwd: Nature 26 November 2009 Volume 462 Number 7272 pp389-534

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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About the cover Nature Podcast	In this issue Editorials Research Highlights Journal Club News News Features Correspondence Opinion Books and Arts News and Views Insight Articles Letters Naturejobs Futures Also this week Authors Editor's summary AOP	Workshop on 'Interactomics : at the crossroads of biology and bioinformatics'. Don't miss the Inserm workshop n°203 on protein-protein interactions networks. March 30th -April 1st 2010 - St Raphael (France). For more information, please visit our website or contact us: mailto:ateliers@inserm.fr Sign up for e-alerts Recommend to your library Web feed Japanese table of contents Available online only Subscribe
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EDITORIALS		Top
Democratic fallacy p389 Japan's effort to make budget allocations by public hearing could be good for the country and for science, but not as currently planned. doi:10.1038/462389a Full Text | PDF
Conservative vacuum p389 Britain's main opposition party needs policies for research and for universities. doi:10.1038/462389b Full Text | PDF
Getting what you pay for p390 The US Food and Drug Administration cannot fulfil its mandate without a serious funding boost. doi:10.1038/462390a Full Text | PDF
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS		Top
Atmospheric physics: Greased lightning p392 doi:10.1038/462392a Full Text | PDF
Palaeontology: Mammoth fungal trail p392 doi:10.1038/462392b Full Text | PDF
Chemistry: Get into the groove p392 doi:10.1038/462392c Full Text | PDF
Developmental biology: Down the tube p392 doi:10.1038/462392d Full Text | PDF
Astronomy: Galaxies aglow p392 doi:10.1038/462392e Full Text | PDF
Cancer biology: Dicer blocker p392 doi:10.1038/462392f Full Text | PDF
Developmental biology: To be or not to be sperm? p393 doi:10.1038/462393a Full Text | PDF
Neuroscience: Rats versus mice p393 doi:10.1038/462393b Full Text | PDF
Materials: Healed steel p393 doi:10.1038/462393c Full Text | PDF
Meteorology: Can't beat the heat p393 doi:10.1038/462393d Full Text | PDF
JOURNAL CLUB		Top
Journal club p393 Philippe Ciais doi:10.1038/462393e Full Text | PDF
NEWS Top News briefing: 26 November 2009 p394 The week in science. doi:10.1038/462394a Full Text | PDF UK physics council sees grim future p396 Second financial crisis in two years leaves researchers questioning the council's long-term viability. Geoff Brumfiel doi:10.1038/462396a Full Text | PDF Storm clouds gather over leaked climate e-mails p397 British climate centre reeling over Internet posting of sensitive material. Quirin Schiermeier doi:10.1038/462397a Full Text | PDF Indian neutrino lab site rejected p397 Nilgiri location threatens important elephant habitat. K. S. Jayaraman doi:10.1038/462397b Full Text | PDF Flu-virus prevalence comes under scrutiny p398 Projects to monitor antibodies seek true extent of H1N1 infection. Declan Butler doi:10.1038/462398a Full Text | PDF Japan sets sights on solar power from space p398 Researchers aim to launch full-scale system by 2030. David Cyranoski doi:10.1038/462398b Full Text | PDF Icelandic genomics firm goes bankrupt p401 deCODE's demise leaves fate of its valuable genetic database unclear. Erika Check Hayden doi:10.1038/462401a Full Text | PDF Famous brain set to go under the knife p403 Slices from the brain of H.M., a key patient in pioneering memory studies, will be immortalized online. Lizzie Buchen doi:10.1038/462403a Full Text | PDF Mexico's transgenic maize under fire p404 Experimental planting scheme has insufficient controls to prevent gene flow to native crops, critcs say. Rex Dalton doi:10.1038/462404a Full Text | PDF Correction p404 doi:10.1038/462404b Full Text | PDF Nature JOBS of the week Post-Doctoral Researcher: Climate Change and Wildlife University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center Fort Lauderdale, FL Faculty Medical University of South Carolina 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425 Sample Preparation Technician ILS, Inc. Athens, GA Postdoctoral Research Associate Scripps Florida Jupiter, Florida Statistical Geneticist Brigham and Women's Hospital Cambridge, MA Community Clinic needing a Family Medicine or Med Peds Physician University Health Systems, UHS Physician Services Pinetops, NC Postdoctoral position (m / f) NF-kappaB signal transtuction networks / Systems Biology Institute for Experimental Internal Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany Research Group Leader / Head of Laboratory (m / f) NF-kappaB signal transduction networks / Systems Biology Institute for Experimental Internal Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Leipziger Straße 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany Research Associate Syngenta Clinton, IL Research Fellow / Staff Scientist Saint Joseph's Translational Research Institute Atlanta, GA More Science jobs from Nature EVENT Asia Pharma R&D Leaders 2010 04.-05.03.10 Shanghai, China More science events from
NEWS FEATURES		Top
The FDA: A tough tonic p406 The new head of the US Food and Drug Administration has inherited an agency battered by crises. Meredith Wadman asks whether Peggy Hamburg can concoct a cure. doi:10.1038/462406a Full Text | PDF
Computational biology: Biological logic p408 An intuitive approach to computer modelling could reveal paths to discovery, finds Lucas Laursen. doi:10.1038/462408a Full Text | PDF
CORRESPONDENCE		Top
The road ahead for brain-circuit reconstruction p411 Kevan A. C. Martin doi:10.1038/462411a Full Text | PDF
Darwin respected by his religious contemporaries p411 R. J. Berry doi:10.1038/462411b Full Text | PDF
Why some relatives object to organ donation p411 David J. Hill doi:10.1038/462411c Full Text | PDF
Brazil's system stops its natural wealth helping science p411 Sergio U. Dani doi:10.1038/462411d Full Text | PDF
OPINION		Top
International spaces promote peace p412 Lessons are still being learnt from the Antarctic Treaty, adopted 50 years ago this week. It set a visionary precedent for governing regions and resources beyond national jurisdictions, says Paul Arthur Berkman. Paul Arthur Berkman doi:10.1038/462412a Full Text | PDF
BOOKS AND ARTS		Top
Some will go far to catch a falling star p414 Henner Busemann enjoys a hymn to the passionate collectors who fuelled the science of meteorites. Henner Busemann reviews The Fallen Sky: An Intimate History of Shooting Stars by Christopher Cokinos doi:10.1038/462414a Full Text | PDF
A wake-up call to educators p415 Devorah Bennu reviews Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America's Public Universities by William G. Bowen Matthew M. Chingos Michael S. McPherson doi:10.1038/462415a Full Text | PDF
Quantum objects on show p416 Philip Ball reviews Worlds Within Worlds: Quantum Objects by Julian Voss-Andreae doi:10.1038/462416a Full Text | PDF
NEWS AND VIEWS		Top
Biodiversity: Skates on thin ice p417 The common skate is not at all common: this large marine fish has 'critically endangered' status. That it turns out to be not one species, but two, is a sharp reminder that good taxonomy must underpin conservation. Nicholas K. Dulvy and John D. Reynolds doi:10.1038/462417a Full Text | PDF
Immunology: A helpers' guide to infection p418 Killer T cells were thought to patrol the body unhindered, freely gaining access to sites of infection. But it seems that, at least in some body tissues, helper T cells must pave the way for killer T-cell entry. Thomas Gebhardt and Francis R. Carbone doi:10.1038/462418a Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Solid-state physics: Silicon spintronics warms up p419 Electrical injection and detection of spin-polarized electrons in a silicon chip have now been demonstrated at room temperature, paving the way to the development of low-power semiconductor spintronics circuitry. Michael E. Flatté doi:10.1038/462419a Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Structural biology: Highly charged meetings p420 When it comes to proteins and their environments, opposites repel. So how is the highly charged, polar helix of a transmembrane ion channel accommodated by a non-polar membrane? Easily, if the charges are buried. Anthony G. Lee doi:10.1038/462420a Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Astrophysics: Assortment in the Galaxy p421 Observations of star clusters in the Milky Way defy the view that the constituents of these systems are almost invariably chemically alike. The outlying clusters could be the tattered relics of once larger systems. Judith G. Cohen doi:10.1038/462421a Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
50 & 100 years ago p422 doi:10.1038/462422a Full Text | PDF
Obituary: Paul C. Zamecnik (1912–2009) p423 Trailblazer in the study of protein synthesis. Thoru Pederson doi:10.1038/462423a Full Text | PDF
Insight: Biomaterials Biomaterials p425 Rosamund Daw and Stefano Tonzani doi:10.1038/462425a Full Text | PDF Inspiration and application in the evolution of biomaterials p426 Nathaniel Huebsch and David J. Mooney doi:10.1038/nature08601 Abstract | Full Text | PDF Designing materials to direct stem-cell fate p433 Matthias P. Lutolf, Penney M. Gilbert and Helen M. Blau doi:10.1038/nature08602 Abstract | Full Text | PDF Biomaterial systems for mechanosensing and actuation p442 Peter Fratzl and Friedrich G. Barth doi:10.1038/nature08603 Abstract | Full Text | PDF Materials engineering for immunomodulation p449 Jeffrey A. Hubbell, Susan N. Thomas and Melody A. Swartz doi:10.1038/nature08604 Abstract | Full Text | PDF Drivers of biodiagnostic development p461 David A. Giljohann and Chad A. Mirkin doi:10.1038/nature08605 Abstract | Full Text | PDF
ARTICLES		Top
Structure of the formate transporter FocA reveals a pentameric aquaporin-like channel p467 The formate–nitrite transporter family, of which FocA is a representative member, is known to transport short-chain acids in bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae and parasites; however, the structure and transport mechanism of these transporters remain unknown. Here, study of the crystal structure of Escherichia coli FocA reveals that the overall structure of FocA closely resembles that of aquaporin, suggesting that it is in fact a channel, rather than a transporter. Yi Wang et al. doi:10.1038/nature08610 Abstract | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Structure and hydration of membranes embedded with voltage-sensing domains p473 Despite the growing number of X-ray crystal structures of membrane proteins, direct structural information about proteins in their native membrane environment remains scarce. Neutron diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations are now used to investigate the structure and hydration of bilayer membranes containing S1–S4 voltage-sensing domains. Dmitriy Krepkiy et al. doi:10.1038/nature08542 Abstract | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Lee
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Nature Insight Biomaterials While man-made structures have been used since time immemorial to replace damaged or diseased body parts, only recently have materials become able to impart specific biological functions. As biologists and materials scientists are working closely together, the interdisciplinary field of biomaterials has generated substances that can direct stem cell fate or grade immunological response. Access selected content free online from the Biomaterials Insight and gain further knowledge of this emerging field.
LETTERS		Top
Enrichment by supernovae in globular clusters with multiple populations p480 The globular star clusters ω Centauri and M 22 are thought to be the remaining cores of disrupted dwarf galaxies, but they are viewed as exceptional. Here, calcium abundances for seven globular clusters are reported and compared to ω Centauri. The results lead the authors to conclude that these globular clusters are also probably the relics of more massive primeval dwarf galaxies that merged and disrupted to form the proto-Galaxy. Jae-Woo Lee, Young-Woon Kang, Jina Lee and Young-Wook Lee doi:10.1038/nature08565 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Cohen
The cluster Terzan 5 as a remnant of a primordial building block of the Galactic bulge p483 ω Centauri is the only globular star cluster in the Galactic halo known to have multiple stellar populations with a significant spread in iron abundance and age. But now Terzan 5, a globular-cluster-like system in the Galactic bulge, is reported to have two stellar populations with different iron contents and ages. So Terzan 5 could be the surviving remnant of one of the primordial building blocks which are thought to merge and form galaxy bulges. F. R. Ferraro et al. doi:10.1038/nature08581 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Cohen
Two-dimensional normal-state quantum oscillations in a superconducting heterostructure p487 Heavily doped semiconductors, which can exhibit superconductivity, and low-dimensional superconducting thin films are currently limited by interface scattering, electronic or atomic-scale disorder. Here, the fabrication of a high-quality superconducting layer within a thin-film heterostructure based on SrTiO3 is reported. By selectively doping a narrow region of SrTiO3 a two-dimensional superconductor is formed that should provide a model system in which to explore the quantum transport and interplay of both superconducting and normal electrons. Y. Kozuka et al. doi:10.1038/nature08566 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Electrical creation of spin polarization in silicon at room temperature p491 Spintronics aims to represent digital information using spin orientation rather than electron charge, ideally at room temperature and in silicon, which is already ubiquitous in present-day technologies. But so far successful control of spin has only been achieved for electrons and at low temperatures. Now room-temperature injection, manipulation and detection of spin polarization of both electrons and their positively charged counterparts (holes) brings the realization of silicon spintronic devices closer. Saroj P. Dash et al. doi:10.1038/nature08570 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Flatté
Increase in Agulhas leakage due to poleward shift of Southern Hemisphere westerlies p495 The Agulhas leakage allows the transport of warm and salty Indian Ocean waters into the Atlantic Ocean and provides the main source of heat and salt for the surface branch of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. The results of a high-resolution ocean general circulation model now show that the transport of Indian Ocean waters into the South Atlantic via the Agulhas leakage has increased during the past decades in response to a change in wind forcing. A. Biastoch, C. W. Böning, F. U. Schwarzkopf and J. R. E. Lutjeharms doi:10.1038/nature08519 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Convective upwelling in the mantle beneath the Gulf of California p499 The Gulf of California is a part of the world's seafloor-spreading system surrounded by enough seismometers to provide sufficiently high horizontal resolution to address the long-standing debate about the relative importance of dynamic and passive upwelling in the shallow mantle beneath spreading centres. Here, Rayleigh-wave tomography is used to image the shear velocity in the upper 200 kilometres or so of the mantle; the results suggest areas of dynamic upwelling. Yun Wang, Donald W. Forsyth and Brian Savage doi:10.1038/nature08552 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Aero-tactile integration in speech perception p502 Auditory perception can be enhanced or interfered with by visual information from a speaker's face, but previous studies looking at whether tactile information influences speech perception have been limited. Here, by applying inaudible air puffs on participants' skin and thereby mimicking the tiny bursts of aspiration produced by certain speech sounds, it is found that syllables are more likely to be heard as aspirated, demonstrating that tactile information is also integrated in auditory perception. Bryan Gick and Donald Derrick doi:10.1038/nature08572 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Central control of fever and female body temperature by RANKL/RANK p505 Receptor-activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and its receptor RANK are known to be essential regulators of bone remodelling, lymph node organogenesis and formation of a lactating mammary gland, but the functional relevance of their expression in the brain has been unclear. RANKL and RANK are now reported to have an essential role in the brain, with the central injection of RANKL into mice and rats triggering severe fever, and a further potential role in the control of thermoregulation in females. Reiko Hanada et al. doi:10.1038/nature08596 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
CD8+ T lymphocyte mobilization to virus-infected tissue requires CD4+ T-cell help p510 CD4+ T helper cells provide critical signals for the generation of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte (CTL) responses in vivo as well as promoting protective CD8+ memory T-cell development. However, the role of CD4 help in the control of CTL responses at the effector stage is unknown. Here, fully helped effector CTLs are shown to rely on CD4+ T cells to provide the necessary cue for entry into infected tissue. Yusuke Nakanishi, Bao Lu, Craig Gerard and Akiko Iwasaki doi:10.1038/nature08511 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Gebhardt Carbone
Host plant genome overcomes the lack of a bacterial gene for symbiotic nitrogen fixation p514 Homocitrate is an essential component of the enzyme nitrogenase, which is required for nitrogen fixation. However, the NifV gene, which encodes homocitrate synthase, is not present in most rhizobial species that require symbiotic association with legumes to perform efficient nitrogen fixation. The FEN1 gene of a model legume, Lotus japonicus, is now shown to overcome the lack of NifV in rhizobia for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Tsuneo Hakoyama et al. doi:10.1038/nature08594 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
An ancient light-harvesting protein is critical for the regulation of algal photosynthesis p518 Although light is needed for photosynthesis, it can also cause severe oxidative damage. For this reason, protective mechanisms involving feedback-regulated de-excitation of chlorophyll molecules in photosystem II (qE) have evolved. In contrast to flowering plants, little is known about the qE mechanism of eukaryotic algae. Here, a qE-deficient mutant green alga is shown to lack two of the three genes encoding LHCSR, an ancient member of the light-harvesting complex superfamily. Graham Peers et al. doi:10.1038/nature08587 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Innate immune and chemically triggered oxidative stress modifies translational fidelity p522 Accurate transfer RNA (tRNA) aminoacylation is necessary for translational fidelity; however, the accuracy of tRNA aminoacylation in vivo is uncertain. In mammalian cells, approximately 1% of methionine residues used in protein synthesis are now shown to be aminoacylated to non-methionyl-tRNAs. Furthermore, misacylation of methionine increases up to tenfold upon exposing cells to viruses, toll-like receptor ligands or oxidative stress. Nir Netzer et al. doi:10.1038/nature08576 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF See also: Editor's summary
Naturejobs		Top
Careers Q&A Richard Olds p529 Next February, Richard Olds will begin his tenure as dean of the planned new medical school at the University of California, Riverside. The school is due to open in 2012. Virginia Gewin doi:10.1038/nj7272-529a Full Text | PDF
Postdoc journal Sharing ideas and data p529 It's a win-win situation. Bryan Venters doi:10.1038/nj7272-529b Full Text | PDF
In Brief NIH asked to probe ethics p529 Health-care and policy executives seek probe into commercial bias. doi:10.1038/nj7272-529c Full Text | PDF
In Brief Disease threat assessed p529 Field-research posts created as part of a global initiative to combat wildlife-borne diseases. doi:10.1038/nj7272-529d Full Text | PDF
In Brief Asia takes clean-tech lead p529 US needs aggressive legislation and a three-fold increase in R&D to advance clean technology industry. doi:10.1038/nj7272-529e Full Text | PDF
Careers and Recruitment Start up and succeed p530 Scientists looking to capitalize on their latest discovery might consider starting a company. But that's more complex than it may seem, as Karen Kaplan reports. Karen Kaplan doi:10.1038/nj7272-530a Full Text | PDF
FUTURES		Top
The imitation game p534 Being human. Shelly Li doi:10.1038/462534a Full Text | PDF
ADVANCE ONLINE PUBLICATION		Top
25 November 2009
Chiral blastomere arrangement dictates zygotic left–right asymmetry pathway in snails Reiko Kuroda, Bunshiro Endo, Masanori Abe and Miho Shimizu doi:10.1038/nature08597 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF
Rational design of a structural and functional nitric oxide reductase Natasha Yeung et al. doi:10.1038/nature08620 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF
22 November 2009
Extreme particle acceleration in the microquasar Cygnus X-3 M. Tavani et al. doi:10.1038/nature08578 First paragraph | Full Text | PDF
Cancer-associated IDH1 mutations produce 2-hydroxyglutarate Lenny Dang et al. doi:10.1038/nature08617 Abstract | Full Text | PDF
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