Nature Communications - 02 December 2015

Weekly Content Alert Nature Communications is now fully open access. Read more. 02 December 2015  Featured image: Lei et al. present a one-step method to fabricate freestanding membranes from hexagonal boron nitride via colloidal solution processing. Latest content: Articles Errata Advertisement   The Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Nature, Nature Cell Biology and Nature Reviews Cancer present:   CANCER AS AN EVOLVING AND SYSTEMIC DISEASE March 12-15, 2016 | New York, NY, USA REGISTER NOW Journal homepage Recommend to library Web feed   Advertisement Nature Outline Ovarian Cancer: Beyond Resistance Ovarian cancer is one of the hardest to treat. As this Nature Outline and animation show, this is largely because many tumours develop resistance to first-line treatment: platinum-based chemotherapy. The good news is that experimental therapies in development could help to deliver a knockout blow to the deadly tumours.  Available free online. Produced with support from Pharma Mar, S.A.        Nature Communications - now fully open access All new submissions, if accepted, will be published open access and an article processing charge (APC) will apply. For more information visit the website. Visit our open access funding page or contact openaccess@nature.com to learn more about APC funding.       Latest Articles View all Articles     Past experience shapes ongoing neural patterns for language OPEN Lara J. Pierce, Jen-Kai Chen, Audrey Delcenserie, Fred Genesee and Denise Klein Whether brief early exposure to a language affects future language processing is unclear. Here Pierce et al. show that brain activity evoked by French pseudowords in monolingual French speaking Chinese adoptees is different from French children with no exposure to Chinese and similar to bilingual Chinese children. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10073 Biological Sciences  Neuroscience  ENPP1-Fc prevents mortality and vascular calcifications in rodent model of generalized arterial calcification of infancy OPEN Ronald A. Albright, Paul Stabach, Wenxiang Cao, Dillon Kavanagh, Isabelle Mullen, Alexander A. Braddock, Mariel S. Covo, Martin Tehan, Guangxiao Yang, Zhiliang Cheng, Keith Bouchard, Zhao-Xue Yu, Stephanie Thorn, Xiangning Wang, Ewa J. Folta-Stogniew, Alejandro Negrete, Albert J. Sinusas, Joseph Shiloach, George Zubal, Joseph A. Madri et al. Generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI) is a terminal disease caused by the ENPP1 enzyme deficiency. Here, Albrigh et al. show that ENPP1 enzyme replacement therapy prevents the ectopic calcifications and mortality in mice with GACI, suggesting a novel treatment for vascular calcification in humans. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10006 Biological Sciences  Medical research  A biomimetic hybrid nanoplatform for encapsulation and precisely controlled delivery of therasnostic agents OPEN Hai Wang, Pranay Agarwal, Shuting Zhao, Jianhua Yu, Xiongbin Lu and Xiaoming He Nanoparticles have the potential for enhancing drug delivery; however, low drug encapsulation efficiency and drug loading content limit their application. Here, the authors engineer a complex nanostructure for drug delivery in cancer treatment and evaluate it in different conditions with encouraging results. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10081 Biological Sciences  Bioengineering  Cancer  Nanotechnology  High yield and ultrafast sources of electrically triggered entangled-photon pairs based on strain-tunable quantum dots OPEN Jiaxiang Zhang, Johannes S. Wildmann, Fei Ding, Rinaldo Trotta, Yongheng Huo, Eugenio Zallo, Daniel Huber, Armando Rastelli and Oliver G. Schmidt Quantum communications require sources of entangled photons. Electrically triggered sources usually suffer from low entangled-emission efficiency. Here, the authors use piezoelectric strains to tune the fine structure of quantum dot emitters, and increase the entanglement probability and fidelity. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10067 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  Optical physics  Production of butyrate from lysine and the Amadori product fructoselysine by a human gut commensal OPEN Thi Phuong Nam Bui, Jarmo Ritari, Sjef Boeren, Pieter de Waard, Caroline M. Plugge and Willem M. de Vos Bacterial production of butyrate in the gut is associated with a healthy colon. Here the authors isolate an Intestinimonas strain from the human gut that can produce butyrate from lysine and fructoselysine, a potentially harmful compound formed in heated foods. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10062 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Microbiology  MicroRNA miR124 is required for the expression of homeostatic synaptic plasticity OPEN Qingming Hou, Hongyu Ruan, James Gilbert, Guan Wang, Qi Ma, Wei-Dong Yao and Heng-Ye Man GluA2-lacking AMPA receptors are known to play a role in homeostatic plasticity. Here, the authors show that spiking activity blockade disinhibits mir124 transcription, which in turn suppresses GluA2 mRNA translation, thereby contributing to synaptic upscaling in hippocampal cells. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10045 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Neuroscience  Branched-chain amino acid catabolism is a conserved regulator of physiological ageing OPEN Johannes Mansfeld, Nadine Urban, Steffen Priebe, Marco Groth, Christiane Frahm, Nils Hartmann, Juliane Gebauer, Meenakshi Ravichandran, Anne Dommaschk, Sebastian Schmeisser, Doreen Kuhlow, Shamci Monajembashi, Sibylle Bremer-Streck, Peter Hemmerich, Michael Kiehntopf, Nicola Zamboni, Christoph Englert, Reinhard Guthke, Christoph Kaleta, Matthias Platzer et al. Organismal ageing is driven by conserved biological processes. Here the authors build on a comparative RNA-seq analysis in three model organisms to demonstrate that the gene, bcat-1, which catalyses the degradation of branched-chain amino acids, regulates lifespan in worms. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10043 Biological Sciences  Medical research  Stable kinetochore–microtubule attachment is sufficient to silence the spindle assembly checkpoint in human cells OPEN Eric C. Tauchman, Frederick J. Boehm and Jennifer G. DeLuca The spindle assembly checkpoint prevents mitotic progression when chromosomes are not properly attached to the mitotic spindle. Here Tauchman et al. show that stable microtubule attachment to the kinetochore, and not tension generated from this interaction, is sufficient to silence the checkpoint. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10036 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  High mobility emissive organic semiconductor OPEN Jie Liu, Hantang Zhang, Huanli Dong, Lingqiang Meng, Longfeng Jiang, Lang Jiang, Ying Wang, Junsheng Yu, Yanming Sun, Wenping Hu and Alan J. Heeger Organic semiconductors with high mobility and strong fluorescence are necessary for optoelectronic devices. Here, Liu et al. show an organic semiconductor, 2,6-diphenylanthracene, satisfying both requirements with mobility of 34 cm2 V−1 s−1 and emission of 6,627 cd m−2 at a turn-on voltage of 2.8 V. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10032 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Materials science  A molecular ruler regulates cytoskeletal remodelling by the Rho kinases OPEN Linda Truebestein, Daniel J. Elsner, Elisabeth Fuchs and Thomas A. Leonard Rho kinases regulate the actin cytoskeleton by controlling stress fibre formation. Truebestein et al. show that the length of its coiled-coil determines ROCK2 function, and propose that the coiled coil acts as a spacer, targeting kinase activity to a discrete distance from the membrane. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10029 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Cell biology  High pressure effects revisited for the cuprate superconductor family with highest critical temperature OPEN Ayako Yamamoto, Nao Takeshita, Chieko Terakura and Yoshinori Tokura Superconductivity, zero-resistance electrical transport, exists up to temperatures above 150 K in mercury-based cuprates under pressure. Here, the authors revisit the pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in these materials and find a strong dependence on initial doping. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9990 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Kinetochore–microtubule attachment is sufficient to satisfy the human spindle assembly checkpoint OPEN Banafsheh Etemad, Timo E. F. Kuijt and Geert J. P. L. Kops The spindle assembly checkpoint protects against premature chromosome segregation during mitosis but it is not known whether microtubule attachment to the kinetochore, or force generated from this interaction, is being monitored. Here the authors uncouple these processes and show that microtubule attachment is sufficient to satisfy the checkpoint. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9987 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Social dynamics within decomposer communities lead to nitrogen retention and organic matter build-up in soils OPEN Christina Kaiser, Oskar Franklin, Andreas Richter and Ulf Dieckmann Microbial decomposers in soil provide the largest ecosystem flux of CO2 to the atmosphere, but interactions at the microscale are poorly understood. Here, the authors use a computer modelling approach to show that social interactions among microbes buffer changing environmental conditions. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9960 Earth Sciences  Biogeochemistry  Ecology  Microbiology  Autocrine selection of a GLP-1R G-protein biased agonist with potent antidiabetic effects OPEN Hongkai Zhang, Emmanuel Sturchler, Jiang Zhu, Ainhoa Nieto, Philip A. Cistrone, Jia Xie, LinLing He, Kyungmoo Yea, Teresa Jones, Rachel Turn, Peter S. Di Stefano, Patrick R. Griffin, Philip E. Dawson, Patricia H. McDonald and Richard A. Lerner GLP-1 is a gut hormone with glucose-lowering activity. Here the authors report the peptide, P5, a variant of the GLP-1 receptor agonist exendin-4, with 'biased' signalling activity, and show that P5 improves glucose homeostasis in diabetic mice by increasing adipose tissue hyperplasia. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9918 Biological Sciences  Medical research  A redox signalling globin is essential for reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans OPEN Sasha De Henau, Lesley Tilleman, Matthew Vangheel, Evi Luyckx, Stanislav Trashin, Martje Pauwels, Francesca Germani, Caroline Vlaeminck, Jacques R. Vanfleteren, Wim Bert, Alessandra Pesce, Marco Nardini, Martino Bolognesi, Karolien De Wael, Luc Moens, Sylvia Dewilde and Bart P. Braeckman Globins are best known for their role in respiration, but recent studies suggest they might contribute to redox signalling as well. Here, the authors present biochemical, structural and in vivo evidence that the roundworm globin Glb-12 acts as a superoxide generator necessary for germline development. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9782 Biological Sciences  Biophysics  Developmental biology  The higher order auditory cortex is involved in the assignment of affective value to sensory stimuli OPEN Anna Grosso, Marco Cambiaghi, Annamaria Renna, Luisella Milano, Giorgio Roberto Merlo, Tiziana Sacco and Benedetto Sacchetti The auditory cortex Te2 represents a key node for the assignment of the affective value to sensory stimuli in rodents. Using pharmacogenetic manipulations, this study shows that in Te2 there are neurons which respond to the emotional valence of sounds and their inactivation impairs emotional memories retrieval. 01 December 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9886 Biological Sciences  Neuroscience  p38- and MK2-dependent signalling promotes stress-induced centriolar satellite remodelling via 14-3-3-dependent sequestration of CEP131/AZI1 OPEN Maxim A. X. Tollenaere, Bine H. Villumsen, Melanie Blasius, Julie C. Nielsen, Sebastian A. Wagner, Jiri Bartek, Petra Beli, Niels Mailand and Simon Bekker-Jensen Centriolar satellites (CS) dynamically remodel in response to cellular stress. Here the authors describe a mechanism for stress-mediated remodelling, whereby CEP131 is phosphorylated downstream of p38, creating binding sites for 14-3-3 that lead to the sequestration of CEP131 in the cytoplasm and disassembly of CS. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10075 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Capture Hi-C reveals novel candidate genes and complex long-range interactions with related autoimmune risk loci OPEN Paul Martin, Amanda McGovern, Gisela Orozco, Kate Duffus, Annie Yarwood, Stefan Schoenfelder, Nicholas J. Cooper, Anne Barton, Chris Wallace, Peter Fraser, Jane Worthington and Steve Eyre There is evidence that a proportion of the polymorphisms identified by genome-wide association studies lie in enchancer regions. Here the authors use Capture Hi-C to investigate the interaction with targets in autoimmune disease, showing interactions can be long range and cell-type specific. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10069 Biological Sciences  Genetics  Immunology  A distributed cell division counter reveals growth dynamics in the gut microbiota OPEN Cameron Myhrvold, Jonathan W. Kotula, Wade M. Hicks, Nicholas J. Conway and Pamela A. Silver Research on the gut microbiota would benefit from improved methods to study microbial population growth. Here, Myhrvold et al. present a ‘mark and recapture’ method that uses genetically encoded fluorescent particles to measure the growth rates of gut microbes in live animals. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10039 Biological Sciences  Microbiology  An endoscope with integrated transparent bioelectronics and theranostic nanoparticles for colon cancer treatment OPEN Hyunjae Lee, Youngsik Lee, Changyeong Song, Hye Rim Cho, Roozbeh Ghaffari, Tae Kyu Choi, Kyung Hoon Kim, Young Bum Lee, Daishun Ling, Hyuk Lee, Su Jong Yu, Seung Hong Choi, Taeghwan Hyeon and Dae-Hyeong Kim Current endoscopes are limited to detection or treatment of colon cancers and growths, or resolution is too low for clinical application. Here the authors present a multimodal endoscope with theranostic nanoparticles that integrates fluorescence-based mapping, electrical impedance, pH and temperature monitoring, RF ablation and localized phototherapy or chemotherapy. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10059 Biological Sciences  Bioengineering  Alternative splicing of Drosophila Nmnat functions as a switch to enhance neuroprotection under stress OPEN Kai Ruan, Yi Zhu, Chong Li, Jennifer M. Brazill and R. Grace Zhai Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT) acts in the NAD biosynthesis pathway and has neuroprotective activity. Ruan et al. show that the neuroprotective activity of NMNAT is restricted to a splice variant of the enzyme, and that this variant is preferentially spliced in response to stress. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10057 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Neuroscience  The epigenomic landscape of African rainforest hunter-gatherers and farmers OPEN Maud Fagny, Etienne Patin, Julia L. MacIsaac, Maxime Rotival, Timothée Flutre, Meaghan J. Jones, Katherine J. Siddle, Hélène Quach, Christine Harmant, Lisa M. McEwen, Alain Froment, Evelyne Heyer, Antoine Gessain, Edouard Betsem, Patrick Mouguiama-Daouda, Jean-Marie Hombert, George H. Perry, Luis B. Barreiro, Michael S. Kobor and Lluis Quintana-Murci et al. Genetic and environmental factors affect genome-wide patterns of epigenetic variation. Here, the authors show that while current habitat and historical lifestyle impact the methylome of rainforest hunter-gatherers and sedentary farmers, the biological functions affected and the degree of genetic control differ. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10047 Biological Sciences  Ecology  Evolution  Genetics  Exploring the phase diagram of the two-impurity Kondo problem OPEN A. Spinelli, M. Gerrits, R. Toskovic, B. Bryant, M. Ternes and A. F. Otte Magnetic atoms on a surface possess diverse correlated phases under an applied magnetic field due to a balance of exchange interaction and carrier-mediated coupling. Here, the authors use scanning tunnel microscopy to explore the phase diagram of coupled Co atom pairs on the surface of Cu2N/Cu(100). 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10046 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Enhanced optoelectronic quality of perovskite thin films with hypophosphorous acid for planar heterojunction solar cells OPEN Wei Zhang, Sandeep Pathak, Nobuya Sakai, Thomas Stergiopoulos, Pabitra K. Nayak, Nakita K. Noel, Amir A. Haghighirad, Victor M. Burlakov, Dane W. deQuilettes, Aditya Sadhanala, Wenzhe Li, Liduo Wang, David S. Ginger, Richard H. Friend and Henry J. Snaith An imbalance in I/Pb stoichiometry is thought to lead to defects in metal halide films. Here, Zhang et al. show that the addition of hypophosphorous acid in the precursor solution can significantly improve the film quality and enhance the photoluminescence intensity, leading to improved photovoltaic devices. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10030 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Physical chemistry  SUMOylation of AMPKα1 by PIAS4 specifically regulates mTORC1 signalling OPEN Yan Yan, Saara Ollila, Iris P. L. Wong, Tea Vallenius, Jorma J. Palvimo, Kari Vaahtomeri and Tomi P. Mäkelä AMPK senses cellular energy and switches off pathways involved in protein and fatty acid synthesis, but the selectivity of AMPK for different pathways is unclear. Here, the authors show that PIAS4-dependent SUMOylation and inactivation of AMPK preferentially restores activity of the mTORC1 pathway. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9979 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Quantum-enabled temporal and spectral mode conversion of microwave signals OPEN R. W. Andrews, A. P. Reed, K. Cicak, J. D. Teufel and K. W. Lehnert Cavity QED systems which can be used for quantum information processing can absorb or emit signals with specific frequencies and temporal envelops. Here, the authors show that the temporal and spectral content of microwave signals can be manipulated with a flexible aluminium drumhead embedded in a circuit. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10021 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Theoretical physics  Adaptive immunity increases the pace and predictability of evolutionary change in commensal gut bacteria OPEN João Barroso-Batista, Jocelyne Demengeot and Isabel Gordo The mechanisms underlying host-commensal coevolution are incompletely understood. Here the authors show that host adaptive immunity directs the evolution of Escherichia coli in the mouse gut towards host benefit by influencing the microbiome composition. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9945 Biological Sciences  Evolution  Genetics  Microbiology  DNA repair factor BRCA1 depletion occurs in Alzheimer brains and impairs cognitive function in mice OPEN Elsa Suberbielle, Biljana Djukic, Mark Evans, Daniel H. Kim, Praveen Taneja, Xin Wang, Mariel Finucane, Joseph Knox, Kaitlyn Ho, Nino Devidze, Eliezer Masliah and Lennart Mucke DNA repair deficits have been suggested to play a role in Alzheimer’s pathology. Here, the authors report reduced levels of the DNA repair factor BRCA1 in patient brains, and provide evidence that loss of BRCA1 in the dentate gyrus leads to spatial learning and memory deficits in mice. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9897 Biological Sciences  Molecular biology  Neuroscience  Inhibition of SHP2-mediated dephosphorylation of Ras suppresses oncogenesis OPEN Severa Bunda, Kelly Burrell, Pardeep Heir, Lifan Zeng, Amir Alamsahebpour, Yoshihito Kano, Brian Raught, Zhong-Yin Zhang, Gelareh Zadeh and Michael Ohh Aberrant Ras signalling resulting in downstream Mek/Erk pathway activation is found in many cancers. Here, the authors show that the phosphatase SHP2 dephosphorylates Ras resulting in increased Ras activity, and that increased SHP2 activity is found in glioblastomas. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9859 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Cell biology  Endothelial Gata5 transcription factor regulates blood pressure OPEN Smail Messaoudi, Ying He, Alex Gutsol, Andrew Wight, Richard L. Hébert, Ragnar O. Vilmundarson, Andrew P. Makrigiannis, John Chalmers, Pavel Hamet, Johanne Tremblay, Ruth McPherson, Alexandre F. R. Stewart, Rhian M. Touyz and Mona Nemer Unravelling the molecular basis of hypertension remains a major challenge. Here, the authors identify the transcription factor GATA5 as a novel regulator of blood pressure and potential genetic determinant of human hypertension and describe a unique mouse model for research of salt-sensitive hypertension. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9835 Biological Sciences  Genetics  Medical research  A tunable artificial circadian clock in clock-defective mice OPEN Matthew D’Alessandro, Stephen Beesley, Jae Kyoung Kim, Rongmin Chen, Estela Abich, Wayne Cheng, Paul Yi, Joseph S. Takahashi and Choogon Lee Circadian rhythms are central to health and disease and there is renewed interest in chronotherapy. Here, the authors present a mouse with an artificial circadian clock that can be pharmacologically tuned, providing a tool for future studies of circadian biology and therapy. 30 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9587 Biological Sciences  Molecular biology  Infection-induced type I interferons activate CD11b on B-1 cells for subsequent lymph node accumulation Elizabeth E. Waffarn, Christine J. Hastey, Neha Dixit, Youn Soo Choi, Simon Cherry, Ulrich Kalinke, Scott I. Simon and Nicole Baumgarth Tissue-resident B-1 cells express CD11b, unlike their lymphoid organ-residing counterparts. Here the authors show that influenza-induced type I interferons activate CD11b on B-1 cells, facilitating entry to mediastinal lymph nodes, where they provide the first line of antibody-mediated host defense. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9991 Biological Sciences  Immunology  Differential epigenetic reprogramming in response to specific endocrine therapies promotes cholesterol biosynthesis and cellular invasion OPEN Van T. M. Nguyen, Iros Barozzi, Monica Faronato, Ylenia Lombardo, Jennifer H. Steel, Naina Patel, Philippa Darbre, Leandro Castellano, Balázs Győrffy, Laura Woodley, Alba Meira, Darren K. Patten, Valentina Vircillo, Manikandan Periyasamy, Simak Ali, Gianmaria Frige, Saverio Minucci, R. Charles Coombes and Luca Magnani How breast cancer cells adapt to individual therapies targeting the oestrogen receptor alpha is poorly understood. Here the authors show resistance emerging through differential epigenetic reprogramming that activates the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10044 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Molecular biology  Direct observation of titanium-centered octahedra in titanium–antimony–tellurium phase-change material OPEN Feng Rao, Zhitang Song, Yan Cheng, Xiaosong Liu, Mengjiao Xia, Wei Li, Keyuan Ding, Xuefei Feng, Min Zhu and Songlin Feng Ti-Sb-Te is a promising phase change memory material however its phase transition mechanism is poorly understood. Here, the authors use microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to show that titanium-centered octahedra play a major role in boosting the performance of Ti-Sb-Te based phase change memory. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10040 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Materials science  Nanotechnology  A monotopic aluminum telluride with an Al=Te double bond stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbenes OPEN Daniel Franz, Tibor Szilvási, Elisabeth Irran and Shigeyoshi Inoue As the structure of bulk aluminium chalcogenides is composed of three dimensional networks their molecular congeners exhibit a strong tendency to oligomerize. Here, the authors describe the isolation of a monotopic aluminium telluride and probe its structural and bonding characteristics. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10037 Chemical Sciences  Inorganic chemistry  Janus-faced Sestrin2 controls ROS and mTOR signalling through two separate functional domains OPEN Hanseong Kim, Sojin An, Seung-Hyun Ro, Filipa Teixeira, Gyeong Jin Park, Cheal Kim, Chun-Seok Cho, Jeong-Sig Kim, Ursula Jakob, Jun Hee Lee and Uhn-Soo Cho Sestrins are conserved stress-inducible metabolic regulators implicated in the prevention of agerelated diseases. Here, Kim et al. report the crystal structure of human Sestrin2 and propose a molecular mechanism for how Sestrin2 functions to prevent ROS accumulation and inhibit mTORC1 activity. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10025 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Biophysics  Universal mechanisms of sound production and control in birds and mammals OPEN C.P.H Elemans, J.H. Rasmussen, C.T. Herbst, D.N. Düring, S.A. Zollinger, H. Brumm, K. Srivastava, N. Svane, M. Ding, O.N. Larsen, S.J. Sober and J.G. Švec In contrast to the larynx of mammals, birds produce sound using a unique vocal organ called the syrinx. Using ex vivo preparations, Elemans et al. show that, despite large anatomical differences, sound production across a range of avian taxa is via the myoelastic-aerodynamic mechanism, the same mechanism involved in human speech. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9978 Biological Sciences  Zoology  Satisfying the Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen criterion with massive particles OPEN J. Peise, I. Kruse, K. Lange, B. Lücke, L. Pezzè, J. Arlt, W. Ertmer, K. Hammerer, L. Santos, A. Smerzi and C. Klempt Continuous-variables EPR states present a resource for applications to quantum information processing and metrology, but these states have been created until now only with photon pairs. Here, the authors report the creation of an EPR-correlated two-mode squeezed states in an ultracold atomic ensemble. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9984 Physical Sciences  Atomic and molecular physics  Characterizing entanglement of an artificial atom and a cavity cat state with Bell’s inequality OPEN Brian Vlastakis, Andrei Petrenko, Nissim Ofek, Luyan Sun, Zaki Leghtas, Katrina Sliwa, Yehan Liu, Michael Hatridge, Jacob Blumoff, Luigi Frunzio, Mazyar Mirrahimi, Liang Jiang, M. H. Devoret and R. J. Schoelkopf Qubit-cavity entanglement can be used for quantum information processing and for investigating the quantum-to-classical transition with high control. Here, the authors characterize the entanglement between an artificial atom and a cat state and its susceptibility to decoherence through Bell test witnesses. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9970 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Theoretical physics  The NLRP3 inflammasome is critically involved in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia Jie Liao, Vishal S. Kapadia, L. Steven Brown, Naeun Cheong, Christopher Longoria, Dan Mija, Mrithyunjay Ramgopal, Julie Mirpuri, Donald C. McCurnin and Rashmin C. Savani Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe pulmonary complication seen in preterm infants, the molecular mechanisms of which are not clear. Here the authors establish a link between NLRP3 inflammasome activation, leading to production of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL1β, and the development of BPD. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9977 Biological Sciences  Immunology  Medical research  Magnetic moments induce strong phonon renormalization in FeSi OPEN S. Krannich, Y. Sidis, D. Lamago, R. Heid, J.-M. Mignot, H. v. Löhneysen, A. Ivanov, P. Steffens, T. Keller, L. Wang, E. Goering and F. Weber Whilst emergent phenomena and potential technological applications in materials may rely of the coupling between spin, lattice, and electronic degrees of freedom, little is known about direct coupling mechanism between spins and phonons. Here, the authors evidence such behaviour in noncentrosymmetrc FeSi. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9961 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Boron nitride colloidal solutions, ultralight aerogels and freestanding membranes through one-step exfoliation and functionalization OPEN Weiwei Lei, Vadym N. Mochalin, Dan Liu, Si Qin, Yury Gogotsi and Ying Chen The poor dispersibility of 2D hexagonal boron nitride in water currently limits its exfoliation and applications. Here, the authors present a one-step mechano-chemical process to achieve unprecedented colloidal concentrations, which permits fabrication of ultralight aerogels and freestanding membranes. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9849 Chemical Sciences  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Aβ-dependent reduction of NCAM2-mediated synaptic adhesion contributes to synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease OPEN Iryna Leshchyns’ka, Heng Tai Liew, Claire Shepherd, Glenda M. Halliday, Claire H. Stevens, Yazi D. Ke, Lars M. Ittner and Vladimir Sytnyk Understanding how ß-amyloid contributes to synapse loss and dysfunction is a central goal of Alzheimer’s disease research. Here, Leshchyns’ka et al. identify a novel mechanism by which Aß disassembles hippocampal glutamatergic synapses via cleavage of a neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2). 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9836 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Neuroscience  Identification of candidate genes for prostate cancer-risk SNPs utilizing a normal prostate tissue eQTL data set OPEN S. N. Thibodeau, A. J. French, S. K. McDonnell, J. Cheville, S. Middha, L. Tillmans, S. Riska, S. Baheti, M. C. Larson, Z. Fogarty, Y. Zhang, N. Larson, A. Nair, D. O’Brien, L. Wang and D J. Schaid Single nucleotide polymorphisms—SNPs—have been identified for prostate cancer but whether these SNPs alter the expression of genes is largely unknown. In this study, the authors search for genes located within 2 Mb of the SNPs and identify SNPs that influence gene expression, so called expression quantitative trait loci. 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9653 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Genetics  Acute loss of TET function results in aggressive myeloid cancer in mice OPEN Jungeun An, Edahí González-Avalos, Ashu Chawla, Mira Jeong, Isaac F. López-Moyado, Wei Li, Margaret A. Goodell, Lukas Chavez, Myunggon Ko and Anjana Rao TET dioxygenases are known to have tumour suppressor activity. Here, An et al. show that Tet2/Tet3 double conditional mutant mice develop aggressive myeloid leukaemia, and suggest that rather than increased DNA methylation, aberrant gene expression and defects in DNA damage response and repair are the major drivers of myeloid leukaemogenesis upon TET loss-of-function. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10071 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Genetics  Large increases in carbon burial in northern lakes during the Anthropocene OPEN Adam J. Heathcote, N. John Anderson, Yves T. Prairie, Daniel R. Engstrom and Paul A. del Giorgio The rate at which carbon burial has changed in lakes in response to human-induced global change is poorly understood. Here, the authors show that carbon burial has increased significantly in remote northern lakes along with increased nitrogen deposition and warming over the last century. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10016 Earth Sciences  Biogeochemistry  Climate science  Fractionally charged skyrmions in fractional quantum Hall effect OPEN Ajit C. Balram, U. Wurstbauer, A. Wójs, A. Pinczuk and J. K. Jain It is predicted that fractionally charged skyrmions, topologically protected vortex-like spin configurations, may exist in systems exhibiting fractional quantum Hall states. Here, the authors demonstrate the existence of such objects in GaAs single quantum wells. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9981 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Nitric oxide mediates glial-induced neurodegeneration in Alexander disease OPEN Liqun Wang, Tracy L. Hagemann, Hermann Kalwa, Thomas Michel, Albee Messing and Mel B. Feany Alexander disease is a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in GFAP, yet it is unclear how glial disruptions lead to neural death. Here, Wang et al. identify a mechanism by which glial-derived nitric oxide leads to neuronal degeneration in fly and mouse models of the disease. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9966 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Neuroscience  Nanoscale measurements of unoccupied band dispersion in few-layer graphene OPEN Johannes Jobst, Jaap Kautz, Daniël Geelen, Rudolf M. Tromp and Sense Jan van der Molen The electronic properties of a material depend on both the filled and the unoccupied electron states. Here, the authors present a technique based on low-energy electron microscopy that is able to directly probe the unoccupied bands of few-layer graphene, as well as other materials. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9926 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Enhanced spin-phonon-electronic coupling in a 5d oxide OPEN S. Calder, J. H. Lee, M. B. Stone, M. D. Lumsden, J. C. Lang, M. Feygenson, Z. Zhao, J.-Q. Yan, Y. G. Shi, Y. S. Sun, Y. Tsujimoto, K. Yamaura and A. D. Christianson Transition metal oxides with 5d ions present novel emergent behaviour based on the enhanced coupling of material properties compared to those with 3d ions. Here, the authors demonstrate a large spin-phonon coupling in NaOsO3 which results from a large Os–O electronic orbital overlap. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9916 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Rapid Holocene thinning of an East Antarctic outlet glacier driven by marine ice sheet instability OPEN R. S. Jones, A. N. Mackintosh, K. P. Norton, N. R. Golledge, C. J. Fogwill, P. W. Kubik, M. Christl and S. L. Greenwood Irreversible ice loss from East Antarctic outlet glaciers during periods of ice sheet instability is yet to be observed in the geological record. Here, Jones et al. combine surface-exposure ages and model simulations to show the centennial-scale glacier thinning of Mackay Glacier during the mid-Holocene. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9910 Earth Sciences  Climate science  Geology and geophysics  Thermodynamic controls of the Atlantic Niño OPEN Hyacinth C. Nnamchi, Jianping Li, Fred Kucharski, In-Sik Kang, Noel S. Keenlyside, Ping Chang and Riccardo Farneti The nature of the El Niño-like variability in the Atlantic Ocean and its limited predictability remain unresolved. Here, via multi-model numerical experiments, the authors show that much of the variability can be explained by the interaction of stochastic atmospheric fluctuations with the ocean mixed layer. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9895 Earth Sciences  Atmospheric science  Climate science  Oceanography  Whole-exome and targeted sequencing identify ROBO1 and ROBO2 mutations as progression-related drivers in myelodysplastic syndromes OPEN Feng Xu, Ling-Yun Wu, Chun-Kang Chang, Qi He, Zheng Zhang, Li Liu, Wen-Hui Shi, Juan Guo, Yang Zhu, You-Shan Zhao, Shu-Cheng Gu, Cheng-Ming Fei, Dong Wu, Li-Yu Zhou, Ji-Ying Su, Lu-Xi Song, Chao Xiao and Xiao Li The molecular events that drive the disease progression of myelodysplastic syndromes are poorly understood. Here, the authors report the identification of novel progression-related somatic mutations in ROBO1 and ROBO2, highlighting ROBO-SLIT2 signalling in the pathogenesis of MDS. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9806 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Genetics  Pie-like electrode design for high-energy density lithium–sulfur batteries OPEN Zhen Li, Jin Tao Zhang, Yu Ming Chen, Ju Li and Xiong Wen (David) Lou Lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising candidate for next-generation battery technologies. Here, the authors report a pie-like structured electrode in which sulfur is confined in multichannel carbon nanofibers which is then coated by amino-functionalized graphene, leading to good balance between electrochemical performance and cell energy density. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9850 Chemical Sciences  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Giant barocaloric effects at low pressure in ferrielectric ammonium sulphate OPEN P. Lloveras, E. Stern-Taulats, M. Barrio, J.-Ll. Tamarit, S. Crossley, W. Li, V. Pomjakushin, A. Planes, Ll. Mañosa, N. D. Mathur and X. Moya Large barocaloric effects driven by pressure may lead to environmentally friendly cooling, but they have only been observed in a small number of relatively expensive magnetic materials. Here, the authors show large barocaloric effects near the ferrielectric phase transition in ammonium sulphate. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9801 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  An in cellulo-derived structure of PAK4 in complex with its inhibitor Inka1 OPEN Yohendran Baskaran, Khay C. Ang, Praju V. Anekal, Wee L. Chan, Jonathan M. Grimes, Ed Manser and Robert C. Robinson PAK4 is a metazoan-specific kinase, which acts downstream of the cell polarity regulator Cdc42. Here, Baskaran et al. determine the structure of PAK4 bound to the endogenous inhibitor Inka1 from crystals that form spontaneously in mammalian cells overexpressing both proteins. 26 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9681 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Evolution and control of the phase competition morphology in a manganite film OPEN Haibiao Zhou, Lingfei Wang, Yubin Hou, Zhen Huang, Qingyou Lu and Wenbin Wu Perovskite manganites possess a number of competing coexisting phases of charge, spin, orbital, and lattice order. Here, the authors use magnetic force microscopy to image the transition from ferromagnetic metal to charge-ordered insulator in a strained phase-separated manganite film. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9980 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Experimental fault-tolerant universal quantum gates with solid-state spins under ambient conditions OPEN Xing Rong, Jianpei Geng, Fazhan Shi, Ying Liu, Kebiao Xu, Wenchao Ma, Fei Kong, Zhen Jiang, Yang Wu and Jiangfeng Du High fidelity manipulation of diamond-based spin qubits is difficult at room temperature because of decoherence. Here, the authors show a universal set of logic gates in nitrogen-vacancy centres with average single-qubit and two-qubit gate fidelities of 0.999952 and 0.992, respectively. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9748 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Materials science  Symmetry breaking in drop bouncing on curved surfaces OPEN Yahua Liu, Matthew Andrew, Jing Li, Julia M. Yeomans and Zuankai Wang Designing superhydrophobic surfaces that water does not wet is crucial for many applications ranging from water harvesting to self-cleaning. Here, Liu et al. show how to minimize the contact of liquid drops impacting on solid surfaces with convex and concave macrotextures comparable to the size of drops. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10034 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Fluids and plasma physics  Nanotechnology  Magnetic anisotropy in Shiba bound states across a quantum phase transition OPEN Nino Hatter, Benjamin W. Heinrich, Michael Ruby, Jose I. Pascual and Katharina J. Franke The exchange coupling strength between magnetic adsorbates and a superconducting surface determines the nature of the system’s quantum ground state. Here, the authors use scanning tunnelling microscopy to explore the ground state and excited state properties of manganese phthalocyanine adsorbed on a Pb(111) surface. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9988 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Optically initialized robust valley-polarized holes in monolayer WSe2 OPEN Wei-Ting Hsu, Yen-Lun Chen, Chiang-Hsiao Chen, Pang-Shiuan Liu, Tuo-Hung Hou, Lain-Jong Li and Wen-Hao Chang The long associated lifetimes required to exploit valley polarization in electronic devices, along with charge and spin, have yet to be observed. Here, the authors demonstrate the photoexcitation of long-lived valley-polarized holes in WSe2. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9963 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates MGMT gene expression in cancer and inhibition of Wnt signalling prevents chemoresistance OPEN Malin Wickström, Cecilia Dyberg, Jelena Milosevic, Christer Einvik, Raul Calero, Baldur Sveinbjörnsson, Emma Sandén, Anna Darabi, Peter Siesjö, Marcel Kool, Per Kogner, Ninib Baryawno and John Inge Johnsen The high expression of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) often confers resistance to chemotherapy in several cancers. In this study, the authors propose the inhibition of the Wnt signalling pathway as an alternative strategy to modulate MGMT expression and sensitize tumours to chemotherapy. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9904 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Cell biology  Confocal multiview light-sheet microscopy OPEN Gustavo de Medeiros, Nils Norlin, Stefan Gunther, Marvin Albert, Laura Panavaite, Ulla-Maj Fiuza, Francesca Peri, Takashi Hiiragi, Uros Krzic and Lars Hufnagel Multiview light-sheet microscopy is a powerful tool for imaging relatively large biological samples over long periods of time, but scattering can limit image quality. Here, the authors combine multiview light-sheet imaging with electronic confocal slit detection to improve image quality, double acquisition speed and streamline data fusion. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9881 Physical Sciences  Optical physics  miRNA–target chimeras reveal miRNA 3′-end pairing as a major determinant of Argonaute target specificity OPEN Michael J. Moore, Troels K. H. Scheel, Joseph M. Luna, Christopher Y. Park, John J. Fak, Eiko Nishiuchi, Charles M. Rice and Robert B. Darnell microRNAs (miRNAs) act as sequence-specific guides for Argonaute (AGO) proteins. By using a modified AGO HITS-CLIP strategy that enriches miRNAs ligated to their endogenous mRNA targets, here the authors show that miRNA 3' end pairing is a general determinant of AGO binding specificity. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9864 Biological Sciences  Bioinformatics  Molecular biology  STAT5-regulated microRNA-193b controls haematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion by modulating cytokine receptor signalling OPEN Nadine Haetscher, Yonatan Feuermann, Susanne Wingert, Maike Rehage, Frederic B. Thalheimer, Christian Weiser, Hanibal Bohnenberger, Klaus Jung, Timm Schroeder, Hubert Serve, Thomas Oellerich, Lothar Hennighausen and Michael A. Rieger MicroRNAs regulate haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development to ensure the correct generation of blood cells. Haetscher et al. show in mice that miR-193b controls the life-long self-renewal ability of HSCs via AKT and STAT5 pathways, with loss of miR-193b accelerating HSC expansion and reducing differentiation. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9928 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Developmental biology  Highly active and durable methanol oxidation electrocatalyst based on the synergy of platinum–nickel hydroxide–graphene OPEN Wenjing Huang, Hongtao Wang, Jigang Zhou, Jian Wang, Paul N. Duchesne, David Muir, Peng Zhang, Na Han, Feipeng Zhao, Min Zeng, Jun Zhong, Chuanhong Jin, Yanguang Li, Shuit-Tong Lee and Hongjie Dai Efficient electrocatalysts are critical for the development of methanol fuel cell technology but most catalysts reported to date suffer from low durability. Here, the authors report platinum-nickel hydroxide-graphene ternary hybrid catalysts with durability extended by two to three orders of magnitude. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10035 Chemical Sciences  Catalysis  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Mitotic cells contract actomyosin cortex and generate pressure to round against or escape epithelial confinement OPEN Barbara Sorce, Carlos Escobedo, Yusuke Toyoda, Martin P. Stewart, Cedric J. Cattin, Richard Newton, Indranil Banerjee, Alexander Stettler, Botond Roska, Suzanne Eaton, Anthony A. Hyman, Andreas Hierlemann and Daniel J. Müller In epithelial layers cells must round up prior to division. Here the authors use micropillar arrays to mimic epithelial confinement and show that MDCK cells generate force to create space to divide; if unable to generate sufficient force they escape the micropillars to divide and return to confinement. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms9872 Biological Sciences  Biophysics  Cell biology  Obliquity pacing of the western Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone over the past 282,000 years OPEN Yi Liu, Li Lo, Zhengguo Shi, Kuo-Yen Wei, Chien-Ju Chou, Yi-Chi Chen, Chih-Kai Chuang, Chung-Che Wu, Horng-Sheng Mii, Zicheng Peng, Hiroshi Amakawa, George S. Burr, Shih-Yu Lee, Kristine L. DeLong, Henry Elderfield and Chuan-Chou Shen Predicting future migrations in the Intertropical Convergence Zone—Earth's heaviest rain belt—is limited by a lack of long-term records. Here, the authors present a 282 kyr precipitation record from the Papua New Guinea coast and show that obliquity forcing plays a more important role than previously recognized. 25 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10018 Earth Sciences  Climate science  Oceanography    Nature Communications JOBS of the week Post-Doctoral Research Scientist Rothamsted Research Chief Scientific Officer Alzheimer’s Research UK Postdoctoral Research Scientist The Babraham Institute Post-doctoral fellowship Janssen-Cilag Postdoctoral Position Moffitt Cancer Center Postdoctoral Fellow University of Pittsburgh Group Leader Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) PhD Student German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Research Fellow in Cancer Cell Signalling University of Sussex Senior Lecturer / Reader / Chair in Biological Cardiff University More Science jobs from Nature Communications EVENT Translational Immunology in Kidney Disease - ISN Nexus Symposium 2016 14.04.15 Berlin, Germany More science events from       Latest Errata     Erratum: Autophagy and endosomal trafficking inhibition by Vibrio cholerae MARTX toxin phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate-specific phospholipase A1 activity OPEN Shivani Agarwal, Hyunjin Kim, Robin B. Chan, Shivangi Agarwal, Rebecca Williamson, Wonhwa Cho, Gilbert Di Paolo and Karla J. F. Satchell 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10135 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Cell biology  Microbiology      Erratum: Coherence in the presence of absorption and heating in a molecule interferometer OPEN J. P. Cotter, S. Eibenberger, L. Mairhofer, X. Cheng, P. Asenbaum, M. Arndt, K. Walter, S. Nimmrichter and K. Hornberger 27 November 2015 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms10121 Physical Sciences  Atomic and molecular physics      Advertisement Nature Reviews Neuroscience  FREE POSTER - CONTROL OF SLEEP IN MAMMALS  This Poster presents an overview of the neural correlates of sleep and waking and, where known, how the implicated brain regions and neuronal populations affect sleep generation. It also touches on the circadian control and function of sleep, and provides details on some common sleep disorders. Produced with support from  Merck & Co., Inc.   Advertisement Nature Outlook: Breast Cancer   The global effort against breast cancer has already had major victories, but women with the disease need even more. With input from the fields of epidemiology, genomics, immunology and molecular biology, scientists are looking for the advances that could turn even more people with breast cancer into survivors.  Read the Outlook online for free   Sponsored by: The Medipolis Proton Therapy and Research Center, a part of the Medipolis Medical Research Institute    Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available here. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on natureevents.com. For event advertising opportunities across the Nature Publishing Group portfolio please contact natureevents@nature.com  More Nature Events You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. You can change or discontinue your e-mail alerts at any time, by modifying your preferences on your nature.com account at:www.nature.com/myaccount (You will need to log in to be recognised as a nature.com registrant) For further technical assistance, please contact our registration department For other enquiries, please contact our customer feedback department Nature Publishing Group | One New York Plaza, Suite 4500 | New York | NY 10004-1562 | USA Nature Publishing Group's worldwide offices: London - Paris - Munich - New Delhi - Tokyo - Melbourne San Diego - San Francisco - Washington - New York - Boston Macmillan Publishers Limited is a company incorporated in England and Wales under company number 785998 and whose registered office is located at Brunel Road, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. © 2013 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved.