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Latest articles

1. 1. Chromosomes and Gene Expression
   2. Computational and Systems Biology

   Genome Organization: The loopy world of cohesin

   Kazuhiro Maeshima, Shiori Iida

   DNA loops can be formed by a mechanism in which the cohesin complex pulls DNA strands through its ring structure using biased Brownian motion.
2. 1. Neuroscience

   Neurotransmission: The secret life of memory receptors

   Hovy Ho-Wai Wong et al.

   The canonical hippocampal NMDA memory receptor also controls the release of the transmitter glutamate and the growth factor BDNF.
3. 1. Evolutionary Biology

   Dinosaurs: A new, ‘hip’ way to breathe

   Marc R Spencer

   Ornithischians, one of the three major groups of dinosaurs, developed a unique mechanism to ensure airflow in the lungs.
4. 1. Chromosomes and Gene Expression

   Translation: The long and short of it

   Lori A Passmore, Terence TL Tang

   Longer poly(A) tails improve translation in early development, but not in mature cells that have higher levels of the protein PABPC.
5. 1. Cell Biology
   2. Medicine

   Pigmentation: Watching hair turn grey

   Michael P Philpott

   Analysing changes in hair pigmentation may lead to a better understanding of the impacts of ‘life events’ on human biology and aging.
6. 1. Epidemiology and Global Health
   2. Medicine

   Health: Going beyond lifestyle factors

   Milagros Ruiz

   Wealth and inequality impact blood pressure in a population with the lowest risk of heart disease in the world.
7. 1. Neuroscience

   Antidepressants: Where ketamine and dopamine collide

   David J Marcus, Michael R Bruchas

   Ketamine strengthens connections between two brain regions that are involved in the production and regulation of dopamine, which may explain how the drug can alleviate depression.
8. 1. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology

   Membrane Fusion: Molecular machinery turns full circle

   Josep Rizo et al.

   Two proteins called Sec17 and Sec18 may have a larger role in membrane fusion than is commonly assumed in textbook models.
9. 1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
   2. Plant Biology

   Bacterial Blooms: The social life of cyanobacteria

   Conrad W Mullineaux, Annegret Wilde

   The cyanobacterium Synechocystis secretes a specific sulphated polysaccharide to form floating cell aggregates.
10. 1. Ecology
    2. Plant Biology

    Plant Ecology: Getting the metabolites right

    Arthur Korte

    A study of almost 800 Arabidopsis thaliana plants from across Europe reveals how the environment and evolutionary pressures shape their metabolites.