Governments that want the natural sciences to deliver more for society need to show greater commitment towards the social sciences and humanities.
doi: 10.1038/517005a
Scientists call for independent environmental assessment.
doi: 10.1038/517007a
Researchers aim to set aside differences in search for life on distant spheres.
doi: 10.1038/517008a
Convalescent plasma therapy is trialled to fight Ebola, but could also be used for new and emerging pathogens.
doi: 10.1038/517009a
Nature looks at what the New Year holds for science.
doi: 10.1038/517010a
研究費、特許、論文など、ますます拡大し続ける世界の研究活動を、数字で予測する。
doi: 10.1038/517012a
一部の構造エレメントは、通常はタンパク質合成装置によって処理されることがないメッセンジャーRNAが翻訳されるように仕向けている。こうしたエレメント類はまた、胚の発生に関わる遺伝子の発現も制御しているらしいことが今回明らかになった。
doi: 10.1038/nature14069
関節中にあって骨を覆っている関節軟骨の性質の一部は、その構成成分の間の反発力に依存している。この性質を模倣した新種の人工ゲルは、方向依存性という珍しい特性を備えている。
doi: 10.1038/517025a
光合成に関わるタンパク質複合体である光化学系IIは、結晶学実験の際にX線による損傷を受けやすい。損傷のない複合体の高分解能構造が今回得られ、その触媒中心の詳細が明らかになった。
doi: 10.1038/nature14072
黄色ブドウ球菌（Staphylococcus aureus）のプロテインAは、免疫応答の標的を変更させ、その結果、細菌由来の他の構造に対する免疫応答の有効性が低下することが分かった。この知見は、黄色ブドウ球菌に対して有効なワクチンを開発しようという現在進行中の計画の失敗の説明となる。
doi: 10.1038/nature14083
細胞の有糸分裂の際には、染色体対が分割されて、2つの遺伝的に等価な娘細胞に分けられる。分裂酵母を使った研究で、この分割が3種のホスファターゼの連続した活性化によって誘導されることが明らかになった。
doi: 10.1038/nature14080
最終氷期サイクルの間の海洋循環に関する高分解能データは、北大西洋深層水の形成とそれに伴う熱輸送が以前に考えられていたよりも安定している可能性を示唆している。
doi: 10.1038/nature14084
Specialized ribosomes (with a particular protein composition) carry out translation of specific transcripts; analysis of Hox mRNA translation in mice reveals that unique RNA structural elements within their 5′ UTRs, including internal ribosome entry sites and translation inhibitory elements, are responsible for this specialized mode of translation.
doi: 10.1038/nature14010
Using electron cryomicroscopy, the structure of the rabbit RyR1 calcium channel is determined at 6.1 Å resolution in the closed state and 8.5 Å in the open state, revealing how calcium binding to the EF-hand of RyR1 regulates channel opening and facilitates calcium-induced calcium release.
doi: 10.1038/nature13916
Using electron cryomicroscopy, the closed-state structure of rabbit RyR1 is determined at 4.8 Å resolution; analysis confirms that the RyR1 architecture consists of a six-transmembrane ion channel with a cytosolic α-solenoid scaffold, and suggests a mechanism for Ca2+-induced channel opening.
doi: 10.1038/nature13950
Using electron cryomicroscopy, the structure of the closed-state rabbit ryanodine receptor RyR1 in complex with its modulator FKBP12 is solved at 3.8 Å; in addition to determining structural details of the ion-conducting channel domain, three previously uncharacterized domains help to reveal a molecular scaffold that allows long-range allosteric regulation of channel activities.
doi: 10.1038/nature14063
Laboratory measurements of iron opacity made under conditions similar to those inside the Sun reveal much higher opacity than predicted, helping to resolve inconsistencies within stellar models of the internal temperatures of stars.
doi: 10.1038/nature14048
Wind tunnel experiments designed to simulate the conditions on Saturn’s moon Titan yield threshold wind speeds for particle saltation higher than those predicted by models derived from simulations of terrestrial-planet conditions; the results can be reconciled by modifying the models to take into account the low ratio of particle density to fluid density on Titan.
doi: 10.1038/nature14088
Quantized conductance in the transport of neutral atoms is observed in an optically produced channel — either a quantum point contact or a quantum wire — between two atom reservoirs; the lowest non-zero conductance value is the universal conductance quantum, the reciprocal of Planck’s constant.
doi: 10.1038/nature14049
Usually materials design focuses on attractive interactions, but here a hydrogel is described whose properties are dominated by electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged titanate nanosheets embedded within it; the material, inspired by articular cartilage, deforms easily when sheared parallel to the sheets but resists compressive forces applied orthogonally.
doi: 10.1038/nature14060
Reconstruction of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation from a highly resolved marine sedimentary record shows that a deep, vigorous overturning circulation mode has persisted for most of the last glacial cycle, dominating ocean circulation in the Atlantic, but that a shallower glacial mode prevailed during glacial maxima.
doi: 10.1038/nature14059
A comparison of protein-coding genes from 134 archaeal genomes with their homologues in 1,847 bacterial genomes reveals that, during evolution, genes are transferred more often from bacteria to archaea than vice versa, and that gene influxes from bacteria can bring about the origin of major archaeal groups.
doi: 10.1038/nature13805
Using transplantation and lineage-tracing strategies, protein C receptor is identified as a marker of mammary stem cells in mice, with potential implications for understanding the initiation of breast cancer.
doi: 10.1038/nature13851
Hepatitis A virus is a picornavirus that causes significant morbidity but remains poorly understood; this paper now provides high-resolution crystal structures of both the mature and the empty hepatitis A virus particle, which show that the three-dimensional structure resembles insect picorna-like viruses.
doi: 10.1038/nature13806
ISG15 deficiency in humans leads to a failure to maintain adequate levels of USP18, triggering an increase in type I interferon production and signalling, and promoting auto-inflammatory disease.
doi: 10.1038/nature13801
The activation and coordination of phosphatase activity is important during mitotic exit; here, a mitotic phosphatase relay is described in fission yeast between the two major phosphatases, PP1 and PP2A, a mode of regulation that may be a feature of signalling networks across eukaryotes.
doi: 10.1038/nature14019
The radiation-damage-free structure of the photosystem II membrane protein complex, which oxidizes water into dioxygen in an oxygen evolving complex, has been determined by an X-ray free electron laser at a resolution of 1.95 Å; one of the substrate oxygen atoms in this reaction is now identified.
doi: 10.1038/nature13991
Solving the X-ray crystal structure of a Δ14-sterol reductase and homologue of human C14SR and DHCR7, two enzymes that reduce specific carbon–carbon double bonds in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, may provide insight into how specific mutations in DHCR7 and lamin B receptor lead to human diseases.
doi: 10.1038/nature13797
