EMBO reports Table of Contents for July 2017; Vol. 18, No. 7

July 2017 | Volume 18, Number 7 Submit Table of Contents News & Views Correspondence Science & Society Scientific Reports Articles Corrigenda Volume 18, Number 7 News & Views Let's burn whatever you have: mitofusin 2 metabolically re‐wires brown adipose tissue Two studies in EMBO Reports and The EMBO Journal identify the GTPase mitofusin 2 as critical determinant of brown adipocyte tissue thermogenic function and insulin sensitivity. Marcel Scheideler and Stephan Herzig Published online 24.05.2017 ATP synthase complex and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore: poles of attraction Two studies in this issue shed light on the mechanism of mitochondrial permeability transition pore formation by the F‐ATPase and pore opening by calcium sensing and dimer dissociation. Christos Chinopoulos Published online 19.06.2017 Enzyme sub‐functionalization driven by regulation A study in this issue shows how the co‐evolution of transcriptional and enzyme activity regulation contributes to the functional divergence of two Bacilli glutamate dehydrogenase paralogs. Bert van Loo and Erich Bornberg‐Bauer Published online 14.06.2017 Correspondence Comment on “How we become ill” by Patrick Finzer A comment on “How we become ill” by Patrick Finzer. Agnese Mariotti Published online 19.05.2017 Science & Society Inventive steps: the CRISPR patent dispute and scientific progress: The recent patent decisions about CRISPR tell us a lot about how advances in biology are actually made—and how they are not Inventions in scientific research and inventions under patent law do not necessarily mean the same—in particular in molecular biology. Jacob S Sherkow Published online 23.05.2017 Taking distrust of science seriously: To overcome public distrust in science, scientists need to stop pretending that there is a scientific consensus on controversial issues when there is not Scientific disputes on controversial issues – from endocrine disrupting chemicals to climate change – risk increasing public distrust in science if scientists pretend that there is a consensus when in fact there is not. Geoffrey C Kabat Published online 30.05.2017 The “Anthropocene”: neglects, misconceptions, and possible futures: The term “Anthropocene” is often erroneously used, as it is not formally defined yet Despite its popularity in scientific and social media, the “Anthropocene” is a term and concept still under discussion and still not formally recognized as a new geologic epoch. Valentí Rull Published online 16.06.2017 The long‐term health risks of ART: Epidemiological data and research on animals indicate that in vitro fertilization might create health problems later in life Since the birth of Louise Brown 39 years ago, scientists have been suspecting that assisted reproductive technologies could create long‐term health risks. While evidence remains inconclusive, ongoing research and improvements help to reduce such risks. Philip Hunter Published online 06.06.2017 Scientific Reports Ca2+ binding to F‐ATP synthase β subunit triggers the mitochondrial permeability transition In response to Ca2+ ions mitochondria can undergo a permeability transition (PT). This study provides evidence that Ca2+‐binding to the catalytic β subunit of F1F0 ATPase induces a conformational change that triggers pore opening. Valentina Giorgio, Victoria Burchell, Marco Schiavone, Claudio Bassot, Giovanni Minervini, Valeria Petronilli, Francesco Argenton, Michael Forte, Silvio Tosatto, Giovanna Lippe, and Paolo Bernardi Published online 15.05.2017 Mitochondrial permeability transition involves dissociation of F1FO ATP synthase dimers and C‐ring conformation F1FO ATP synthase dimer dissociation plays a crucial role in MPT and allows PTPC opening. In the same context, c subunit‐specific mutations altering the C‐ring conformation prime cells for MPT induction. Massimo Bonora, Claudia Morganti, Giampaolo Morciano, Gaia Pedriali, Magdalena Lebiedzinska‐Arciszewska, Giorgio Aquila, Carlotta Giorgi, Paola Rizzo, Gianluca Campo, Roberto Ferrari, Guido Kroemer, Mariusz R Wieckowski, Lorenzo Galluzzi, and Paolo Pinton Published online 31.05.2017 In vivo structures of an intact type VI secretion system revealed by electron cryotomography Bacterial type VI secretion systems are molecular weapons used against eukaryotic hosts or prokaryotic competitors. This study presents the in situ architecture of the complete Myxococcus xanthus T6SS and the structures of several poorly characterized components. Yi‐Wei Chang, Lee A Rettberg, Davi R Ortega, and Grant J Jensen Published online 09.05.2017 The signaling lipid phosphatidylinositol‐3,5‐bisphosphate targets plant CLC‐a anion/H+ exchange activity This study identifies inhibition of CLC‐a dependent anion/H+ exchange as a vacuolar target of the signaling lipid phosphatidylinositol‐3,5‐bisphosphate. This provides a clue to the lipid's positive effect on vacuolar acidification in plant cells. Armando Carpaneto, Anna Boccaccio, Laura Lagostena, Eleonora Di Zanni, and Joachim Scholz‐Starke Published online 23.05.2017 Articles Brd4‐Brd2 isoform switching coordinates pluripotent exit and Smad2‐dependent lineage specification BET bromodomain proteins are key regulators of Nodal‐Smad2 signalling during mesendoderm differentiation of mESCs. In this system distinct functionalities of the BET family proteins Brd2 and Brd4 coordinate the exit from pluripotency with mesendoderm specification. Rosalia Fernandez‐Alonso, Lindsay Davidson, Jens Hukelmann, Michael Zengerle, Alan R Prescott, Angus Lamond, Alessio Ciulli, Gopal P Sapkota, and Greg M Findlay Published online 06.06.2017 Mfn2 deletion in brown adipose tissue protects from insulin resistance and impairs thermogenesis Deletion of Mfn2 in BAT improves glucose tolerance under high fat diet while impairing cold‐induced thermogenesis. Therefore, BAT therapeutic potential to improve insulin sensitivity may be achieved independently of thermogenesis. Kiana Mahdaviani, Ilan Y Benador, Shi Su, Raffi A Gharakhanian, Linsey Stiles, Kyle M Trudeau, Maria Cardamone, Violeta Enríquez‐Zarralanga, Eleni Ritou, Tamar Aprahamian, Marcus F Oliveira, Barbara E Corkey, Valentina Perissi, Marc Liesa, and Orian S Shirihai Published online 24.05.2017 Bacilli glutamate dehydrogenases diverged via coevolution of transcription and enzyme regulation Bacilli have two glutamate dehydrogenase paralogues. Regulation has diverged from transcriptional control in one paralogue (RocG) to enzyme control in the other (GudB), thus creating incompatibility upon swaps of enzymes and regulatory regions. Lianet Noda‐Garcia, Maria Luisa Romero Romero, Liam M Longo, Ilana Kolodkin‐Gal, and Dan S Tawfik Published online 03.05.2017 Lipophagy prevents activity‐dependent neurodegeneration due to dihydroceramide accumulation in vivo This study dissects the role of the fly dhCer desaturase ifc in neurons by genetic and pharmaceutical methods. dhCer desaturase is required for neuronal maintenance in vivo and lipophagy activation prevents activity‐dependent degeneration due to dhCer accumulation. Wei‐Hung Jung, Chung‐Chih Liu, Yu‐Lian Yu, Yu‐Chin Chang, Wen‐Yu Lien, Hsi‐Chun Chao, Shu‐Yi Huang, Ching‐Hua Kuo, Han‐Chen Ho, and Chih‐Chiang Chan Published online 15.05.2017 Salt‐inducible kinase induces cytoplasmic histone deacetylase 4 to promote vascular calcification HDAC4 is upregulated in vascular smooth muscle cells during vascular calcification. Salt inducible kinase triggers HDAC4's cytoplasmic localization, and cytoplasmic HDAC4 together with ENIGMA drives vascular calcification. Alon Abend, Omer Shkedi, Michal Fertouk, Lilac H Caspi, and Izhak Kehat Published online 06.06.2017 TREM2 deficiency impairs chemotaxis and microglial responses to neuronal injury TREM2 sequence variations are linked to neurodegenerative disorders. Transcriptomic and functional studies show that TREM2‐deficient microglia display a homeostatic mRNA signature and are impaired in chemotaxis and their response to neuronal injury. Fargol Mazaheri, Nicolas Snaidero, Gernot Kleinberger, Charlotte Madore, Anna Daria, Georg Werner, Susanne Krasemann, Anja Capell, Dietrich Trümbach, Wolfgang Wurst, Bettina Brunner, Sebastian Bultmann, Sabina Tahirovic, Martin Kerschensteiner, Thomas Misgeld, Oleg Butovsky, and Christian Haass Published online 08.05.2017 Circadian networks in human embryonic stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes The circadian clock is important for proper heart function. This study describes the functional implications of the gradual emergence of a clock during directed cardiac differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Pieterjan Dierickx, Marit W Vermunt, Mauro J Muraro, Menno P Creyghton, Pieter A Doevendans, Alexander van Oudenaarden, Niels Geijsen, and Linda W Van Laake Published online 23.05.2017 Synergistic action of auxin and cytokinin mediates aluminum‐induced root growth inhibition in Arabidopsis Auxin and cytokinin synergistically mediate aluminum‐induced root growth inhibition in Arabidopsis, which is in contrast to the antagonistic action of both hormones in root meristem maintenance in unstressed conditions. Zhong‐Bao Yang, Guangchao Liu, Jiajia Liu, Bing Zhang, Wenjing Meng, Bruno Müller, Ken‐ichiro Hayashi, Xiansheng Zhang, Zhong Zhao, Ive De Smet, and Zhaojun Ding Published online 09.06.2017 Transposon‐driven transcription is a conserved feature of vertebrate spermatogenesis and transcript evolution Large‐scale transcriptome analyses of the mouse germline shows that a significant fraction of noncoding transcripts are expressed in late spermatogenesis and are associated with endogenous retroviral elements that drive their transcription. Matthew P Davis, Claudia Carrieri, Harpreet K Saini, Stijn van Dongen, Tommaso Leonardi, Giovanni Bussotti, Jack M Monahan, Tania Auchynnikava, Angelo Bitetti, Juri Rappsilber, Robin C Allshire, Alena Shkumatava, Dónal O'Carroll, and Anton J Enright Published online 12.05.2017 The RNA helicase DHX9 establishes nucleolar heterochromatin, and this activity is required for embryonic stem cell differentiation This study shows that DHX9 processes the lncRNA IGS‐rRNA into pRNA. This activity mediates nucleolar heterochromatic formation, which is required for ESCs to exit pluripotency. Sergio Leone, Dominik Bär, Coenraad Frederik Slabber, Damian Dalcher, and Raffaella Santoro Published online 06.06.2017 Corrigenda Acetylation regulates monopolar attachment at multiple levels during meiosis I in fission yeast Ayano Kagami, Takeshi Sakuno, Yuya Yamagishi, Tadashi Ishiguro, Tatsuya Tsukahara, Katsuhiko Shirahige, Koichi Tanaka, and Yoshinori Watanabe Published online 03.07.2017 Structural basis for recruitment of BRCA2 by PALB2 Antony W Oliver, Sally Swift, Christopher J Lord, Alan Ashworth, and Laurence H Pearl Published online 03.07.2017   Unsubscribe from or edit your subscription for this service. Or by mail: Customer Service * 973 University Avenue * Los Gatos, CA 95032 * U.S.A. Copyright © 2017 by the European Molecular Biology Organisation.