This week’s articles are about peptides that mediate communication between viruses, how microglia induce reactive astrocytes that contribute to neuronal cell death, and how kinases of the Hippo pathway influence breast cell fate.
MICROBIOLOGY
Communication between viruses
Erez et al. identified virus-encoded peptides that are secreted by infected cells and mediate communication between viruses (see commentary by Davidson).
NEUROSCIENCE
Inducing neurotoxic reactive astrocytes
Liddelow et al. found that cytokines secreted by microglia induce a subtype of reactive astrocytes that contribute to the death of neurons in mice and are associated with neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Hippo pathway kinases and breast cell fate
Britschgi et al. report that kinases of the Hippo pathway influence breast cell fate by promoting the degradation of estrogen receptor-α.