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For a comprehensive review of the most interesting recent articles published in the biological sciences, visit Faculty of 1000 Biology, an online literature awareness tool published by BioMed Central. Faculty of 1000 Biology systematically highlights exciting recent publications on the basis of recommendations of a faculty of well over 1,000 of the world's leading researchers. |
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Antonio Rosato
University of Florence, Italy
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
 Tech Advance
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The authors present an innovative method for the detection of metalloproteins at the whole-proteome scale. The approach is based on a clever combination of subsequent reactions exploiting metal-based catalysis and metal complexation, and can be performed automatically in 384-well plates (although the authors state the final detection step is best done by eye). The method is primarily intended to detect metalloproteins, but can also provide indications on the identity of the metal ion. Iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, nickel and zinc can be simultaneously assayed using typical protein quantities of 10 micrograms with a lower limit on metal occupancy of about 0.2 equivalents. Overall, the proposed approach should allow an entire proteome to be scanned for the presence of metalloproteins in a few days.
Evaluated 21 Jul 2005 |
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F1000 Factor 3.0 |
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The developmental miRNA profiles of zebrafish as determined by small RNA cloning.
Chen PY, Manninga H, Slanchev K, Chien M, Russo JJ, Ju J, Sheridan R, John B, Marks DS, Gaidatzis D, Sander C, Zavolan M, Tuschl T
Genes Dev 2005 Jun 1 19(11):1288-93 [abstract on PubMed] [request from library] 
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Selected by | Judith S. Eisen
Evaluated 12 Jul 2005
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Judith S. Eisen
University of Oregon, United States of America
NEUROSCIENCE
 New Finding
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miRNAs have recently come to the fore as regulators of gene expression; this paper provides a wealth of information for future studies of their function. The authors have profiled the developmental and cell-type expression of 154 miRNAs in zebrafish.
Evaluated 12 Jul 2005 |
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Tamar Barkay
Rutgers University, United States of America
MICROBIOLOGY
New Finding
Tech Advance
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The role of within and between genome plasticity in adaptation to changing environmental conditions is highlighted by this paper. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was employed to analyze genome similarities between nine hyperthermophilic bacteria of the order Thermatogales and Thermatoga maritima. Some of the dissimilar genomic regions were sequenced and shown to have arisen by horizontal gene transfer and by gene loss and rearrangements, and many specified the utilization of unique substrates found in the ecological niche from where the strains originated.
Evaluated 25 Jul 2005 |
Camilla Nesbo
Dalhousie University, Canada
MICROBIOLOGY
 Confirmation
New Finding
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Hyperthemophilic bacteria from the genus Thermotoga are shown to show very high levels of genome plasticity when compared to the sequenced genome of T. maritima MSB8 in a comparative genomic hybridization study. As observed earlier for another Thermotoga strain, most of the variable genes are found in large clusters. Interestingly, they find that the regions that have been subjected to gene transfer events are found scattered over the T. maritima MSB8 genome, and there does not appear to be regions with higher or lower levels of LGT.
Evaluated 19 Jul 2005 |
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Lee Sweetlove
University of Oxford, United Kingdom
PLANT BIOLOGY
 Hypothesis
New Finding
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One of the few examples of genuine systems biology, this paper uses a combination of experimentation and mathematical modelling to investigate the molecular mechanism of circadian clock function in Arabidopsis. Previous molecular studies have identified a transcriptional feedback loop that regulates clock activity but this model fails to account for all experimental data. An extended model is presented that involves interlocking feedback loops. Based on predicted gene expression patterns from the model, the GIGANTEA gene is proposed as a novel clock component. For the full text of this paper, please see [http://www.nature.com/msb/journal/v1/n1/full/msb4100018.html].
Evaluated 14 Jul 2005 |
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Christoph Benning
Michigan State University, United States of America
PLANT BIOLOGY
Tech Advance
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Small and non-coding RNAs are increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles in animal and plant cells, yet their genes are typically missed in current genome annotation efforts. Here, bioinformatic mining of Arabidopsis genomic and EST sequences led to the identification of a large number of previously unidentified orphan genes. This will provide a rich source for future studies of non-coding RNAs with potentially regulatory functions.
Evaluated 20 Jul 2005 |
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