28 October, 2008
Volume 18, Issue 20
X
Volume 18, Issue 20
On the cover: An electron micrograph of the cytoskeleton of a Xenopus melanophore shows a pigment granule (green) surrounded by intermediate filaments (violet) and actin filaments (beige). In melanophores, pigment granules are transported along actin filaments by means of actin motor myosin V. In this issue, a study performed by Semenova et al. (pages 1581–1586) shows that myosin-based transport of pigment granules requires continuous growth of actin filaments, which extends the length of actin transport tracks.
Top 20 Papers
- These are the Top 20 papers by download from the Current Biology website for the last 30 days.
The Flash Player is not installed on your computer. You can follow the instructions to install the Flash Player at http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/
Featured Video
The video shows a time sequence of phase-contrast images of a pigment cell stimulated with melanocyte-stimulating hormone to induce dispersion of melanosomes (pigment-carrying organelles). In the October 28th issue, Rodionov and colleagues report a requirement for polymerization and depolymerization of individual actin filaments in the myosin-based transport of organelles along actin tracks.
Volume 18, Issue 20 | October 28, 2008
Research Highlights
- Dynamic actin tracks for organelle transport
- Increasing pollination dependency of crops
- CaMKII in synaptic plasticity and memory
- Stability of Flamingo protein complexes in planar polarity
- Regulation of the ClC-3 channel by Ins(3,4,5,6)P4
- Endothelial signalling in hepatocyte polarization
Online Ahead of Issue
Each week, Current Biology publishes papers online ahead of the print issue. Here is the latest:
DasGupta et al. Odor discrimination in the Drosophila antennal lobe
Featured Article
Large Ventral Lateral Neurons Modulate Arousal and Sleep in Drosophila
Vasu Sheeba, Keri J. Fogle, Maki Kaneko, Saima Rashid, Yu-Ting Chou, Vijay K. Sharma and Todd C. Holmes
|
Little is known about the sensory-activated circuits that affect arousal and sleep; in this paper, Holmes and colleagues report a role for the light-activated large ventrolateral neurons in regulating wakefulness in Drosophila. |
The featured article is available FREE online.
Magazine Highlight
Review: The Formation and Function of the Female Reproductive Tract in Flowering Plants
Brian C.W. Crawford and Martin F. Yanofsky
|
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants involves the passage of the sperm-depositing pollen tube through the reproductive tract within the carpel to reach the egg. Here, Crawford and Yanofsky discuss recent insights into the genetics of reproductive tract development. |
The magazine highlight is available FREE online.
