Contents
24 January 2017
Vol 10, Issue 463
Vol 10, Issue 463
Research Articles
- ERK signaling pathway regulates sleep duration through activity-induced gene expression during wakefulness
Activity-induced activation of the kinase ERK in cortical neurons increases the duration of sleep.
- Phosphorylation of Ser1928 mediates the enhanced activity of the L-type Ca2+ channel Cav1.2 by the β2-adrenergic receptor in neurons
β-Adrenergic regulation of the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2 exhibits surprising differences in the heart and brain.
- Ser1928 phosphorylation by PKA stimulates the L-type Ca2+ channel CaV1.2 and vasoconstriction during acute hyperglycemia and diabetes
Targeting a protein complex that phosphorylates the calcium channel CaV1.2 in arteries may prevent vascular pathologies associated with diabetes.
Podcast
- Science Signaling Podcast for 24 January 2017: Tissue-specific regulation of L-type calcium channels
Phosphorylation at Ser1928 affects the activity of the L-type calcium channel CaV1.2 in the brain and vasculature but not in the heart (Qian et al. and Nystoriak et al. in 24 January 2017 issue).
Editor's Choice
- Lysosomes get into the action
Activity-dependent lysosomal fusion with the plasma membrane stimulates dendrite remodeling.
- Harnessing innate immunity to fight neurodegeneration
TRIM21 prevents antibody-bound tau proteins from aggregating in cells.
- Papers of note in Science 355 (6322)
This week's articles are about two pairs of plant peptides: One pair controls the formation of a waterproof barrier that protects roots, and another pair regulates the response to pathogens.
- Paper of note in Science Translational Medicine 9 (373)
This week’s paper describes a drug that inhibits multiple growth factor pathways and may effectively treat patients with retinopathies.
- Papers of note in Nature 541 (7637)
This week’s articles show how a phospholipase both facilitates viral entry and protects the viral genome from degradation, how tumors induce autophagy in their microenvironment to provide nutrients for tumor growth, and how lipids regulate the associations of proteins with membranes.
About The Cover
Online Cover This week features a Research Article that describes a critical role for phosphorylation of a specific site in the pore-forming subunit of the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2 in mediating glucose-induced vasoconstriction. Along with the identification of the signaling complex that enables this tissue-specific phosphorylation event, this study has implications for developing treatments for vascular complications associated with diabetes. The image represents a diabetic patient with compromised circulation in the feet. [Image: jorgeantonio/iStockphoto.com]