This week’s articles describe a nonimmune function for macrophages in forming pigment stripes in fish skin, regulation of mTORC1 signaling by cholesterol, how the age-related reduction of a cofactor could affect DNA repair, the role of pulling forces in Notch activation, an epigenetic mechanism that contributes to tumor cell resistance to PI3K inhibitors, and structural analysis of an NMDA receptor.
CANCER
Chromatin state dictates drug response
Toska et al. show that tumor cells develop resistance to a drug used to treat breast cancer through a chromatin remodeling mechanism.
AGING
NAD+ binding modulates protein interactions
Liet al. demonstrate that NAD+ can influence DNA repair by modulating protein interactions.
DEVELOPMENT
Cell projections set up pigment pattern
Eom et al. found that macrophages organize pigment cells during zebrafish stripe development (see also Guilliams).
METABOLISM
Lysosomal cholesterol activates mTORC1
Castellano et al. report that a cholesterol-mTORC1 axis may play a role in metabolic homeostasis in normal and disease states.
BIOCHEMISTRY
Tugging on Notch receptor tunes signaling
Luca et al. show how mechanical forces on Notch receptors can modulate receptor signaling.
Added complexity in an asymmetric receptor
Lü et al. found that having three different subunits allows complex regulation of the neuronal NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptor involved in synaptic plasticity.
