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Papers published online on 8 February by the Nature Research Journals

February 09, 2004

NATURE GENETICS(http://www.nature.com/naturegenetics)

[1] Risk of heart attack and stroke tied to inflammation gene

DOI: 10.1038/ng1311 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1311)

In the March issue of Nature Genetics, Kari Stefansson and colleagues report the identification of the first gene associated with a higher risk of both heart attacks and strokes, the diseases that result in the death of most people in developed countries. Since the genetic markers they studied are associated with just a twofold increased risk of incurring a heart attack, this work is just the first step toward the goal of unravelling the complex interplay of genes with significant environmental factors such as diet and exercise. But, the gene identified, ALOX5AP, works to stimulate the conversion of fats to molecules important in inflammation and in the development of atherosclerosis. So the interplay of cardiovascular risk genes, dietary fats and anti-inflammatory drugs can now be investigated.

Author contact:
Kari Stefansson (deCODE Genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland)
Tel: +354 5701900; E-mail: kari.stefansson@decode.is

[2] Using the human genome to design drugs

DOI: 10.1038/ng1305 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1305)

Chemical genomics involves generating large collections of small molecules and systematically using them to change the way cells in the body function. In the March issue of Nature Genetics, Todd Golub and colleagues report that they have developed this approach into a general strategy for drug design. First, they identified a set of genes that switch on or off when one type of leukemia cells is converted back to being normal cells of the immune system. Using this pattern of gene activity as a guide, they were able to predict correctly which 8 out of 1,739 drugs could promote the appearance of normal characteristics in the leukemia cells. This work does not provide an immediate cure for leukemia, but their discovery does mean that enormous numbers of chemical compounds can now be tested for their biological effects, using a single, largely automated technique.

Author contact:
Todd Golub (MIT, Cambridge, MA, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA)
Tel: +1 617 632 4903; E-mail: golub@broad.mit.edu or barbara_keane@dfci.harvard.edu (assistant)

Other papers from Nature Genetics to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

[3] Senataxin, the ortholog of a yeast RNA helicase, is mutant in ataxia-ocular apraxia 2
(DOI: 10.1038/ng1303) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1303)

[4] Indian Hedgehog is an antagonist of Wnt signaling in colonic epithelial cell differentiation
(DOI: 10.1038/ng1304) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1304)

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Items from other Nature journals to be published online at the same time and with the same embargo:

NATURE MATERIALS (http://www.nature.com/naturematerials)

[5] Dynamic transitions from smooth to rough to twinning in dislocation motion
(DOI: 10.1038/nmat1072) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat1072)

[6] Dewetting of conducting polymer inkjet droplets on patterned surfaces
(DOI: 10.1038/nmat1073) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat1073)

NATURE MEDICINE (http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine)

[7] HIV evolution: CTL escape mutation and reversion after transmission
(DOI: 10.1038/nm992) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm992)

[8] A new cell-permeable peptide allows successful allogeneic islet transplantation in mice
(DOI: 10.1038/nm994) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm994)

[9] Hepatic expression of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase reverses muscle, liver and whole-animal insulin resistance
(DOI: 10.1038/nm995) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm995)

[10] Transducible TAT-HA fusogenic peptide enhances escape of TAT-fusion proteins after lipid raft macropinocytosis
(DOI: 10.1038/nm996) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm996)

NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturebiotechnology)

[11] Nanospheres for DNA separation chips
(DOI: 10.1038/nbt939) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt939)

[12] Interferon induction by siRNAs and ssRNAs synthesized by phage polymerase
(DOI: 10.1038/nbt940) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt940)

[13] Probing the precision of the mitotic clock with a live-cell fluorescent biosensor
(DOI: 10.1038/nbt941) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt941)

[14] Visualization of tumors and metastases in live animals with bacteria and vaccinia virus encoding light-emitting proteins
(DOI: 10.1038/nbt937) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt937)

NATURE NEUROSCIENCE (http://www.nature.com/natureneuroscience)

[15] PKC mediates inhibitory effects of myelin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans on axonal regeneration
(DOI: 10.1038/nn1193) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1193)

[16] Activity-dependent regulation of dendritic synthesis and trafficking of AMPA receptors
(DOI: 10.1038/nn1189) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1189)

[17] FGF2-induced chromatin remodeling regulates CNTF-mediated gene expression and astrocyte differentiation
(DOI: 10.1038/nn1192) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1192)

NATURE IMMUNOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natureimmunology)

[18] Ternary complex factor SAP-1 is required for ERK-mediated thymocyte positive selection
(DOI: 10.1038/ni1038) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ni1038)

[19] Duration of TCR signaling controls CD4-CD8 lineage differentiation in vivo
(DOI: 10.1038/ni1040) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ni1040)

NATURE CELL BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/naturecellbiology)

[20] Lipid raft proteins have a random distribution during localized activation of the T-cell receptor
(DOI: 10.1038/ncb1103) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb1103)

[21] Correcting improper chromosome-spindle attachments during cell division
(DOI: 10.1038/ncb1102) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb1102)

[22] Non-proteolytic inactivation of geminin requires CDK-dependent ubiquitination
(DOI: 10.1038/ncb1100) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb1100)

NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (http://www.nature.com/natstructmolbiol)

[23] Counterion displacement in the molecular evolution of the rhodopsin family
(DOI: 10.1038/nsmb731) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nsmb731)

[24] A nuclear FK506-binding protein is a histone chaperone regulating rDNA silencing
(DOI: 10.1038/nsmb733) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nsmb733)

[25] Recognition of the mRNA AU-rich element by the zinc finger domain of TIS11d
(DOI: 10.1038/nsmb727) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nsmb727)

Nature Publishing Group Reference