Biochemical and genetic tests have revealed that a liver protein called NTCP is a functional receptor for hepatitis B and D viruses, which should lead to an improved understanding of the infections caused by these viruses and assist the development of new intervention strategies.

Histones bound to lipid droplets inside cells offer protection against bacteria in flies, and possibly mice, thus suggesting a possible new innate immunity pathway.

A genome-organizing protein that is present only in the olfactory system of mice has been found to orchestrate changes in the relative numbers of different odor-sensing neurons on the basis of how active these neurons are.

A protein that can recognize regions of DNA with a high proportion of unmethylated CpG dinucleotides, and then recruit polycomb group proteins to these CpG islands, has been identified.

An interaction between two proteins enables the spindle—the structure that segregates chromosome pairs during mitosis—to change size as cells divide.

A transmembrane protein uses distinct mechanisms to regulate the movement of specific toll-like receptors-key immune system components involved in detecting pathogens-to their final locations inside cells.

Enzymes that remove amine groups from cytosine bases in DNA are likely involved in generating the clusters of mutations (kataegis) seen in breast cancer.

Proteins produced by mast cells modulate the permeability of blood vessels, and may determine whether patients infected with dengue virus develop life-threatening complications.

A protein called PVRL4 has a central role in a number of cancers that originate in epithelial tissue, and anti-PVRL4 antibodies could be used to treat some of these cancers.

A compound that prevents stressors such as UV light and viral infection from downregulating protein synthesis inside cells improves memory performance in mice.