PLANT SCIENCE
Combining heat and light responses
Red-light photoreceptors also act as temperature sensors in plants.
M. Legris, C. Klose, E. S. Burgie, C. C. Rojas, M. Neme, A. Hiltbrunner, P. A. Wigge, E. Schäfer, R. D. Vierstra, J. J. Casal, Phytochrome B integrates light and temperature signals in Arabidopsis. Science 354, 897–900 (2016). [Abstract]
J.-H. Jung, M. Domijan, C. Klose, S. Biswas, D. Ezer, M. Gao, A. K. Khattak, M. S. Box, V. Charoensawan, S. Cortijo, M. Kumar, A. Grant, J. C. W. Locke, E. Schäfer, K. E. Jaeger, P. A. Wigge, Phytochromes function as thermosensors in Arabidopsis. Science 354, 886–889 (2016). [Abstract]
Metabolite channeling by a dynamic metabolon
Enzymes that synthesize a specialized metabolite congregate and disperse on an as-needed basis in the lipid membrane.
T. Laursen, J. Borch, C. Knudsen, K. Bavishi, F. Torta, H. J. Martens, D. Silvestro, N. S. Hatzakis, M. R. Wenk, T. R. Dafforn, C. E. Olsen, M. S. Motawia, B. Hamberger, B. L. Møller, J.-E. Bassard, Characterization of a dynamic metabolon producing the defense compound dhurrin in sorghum. Science 354, 890–893 (2016). [Abstract]
M. Dastmalchi, P. J. Facchini, Plant metabolons assembled on demand. Science 354, 829–830 (2016). [Abstract]
NEUROSCIENCE
Tau phosphorylation—Not all bad
Phosphorylation of tau at a specific site mitigates, rather than enhances, symptoms in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
A. Ittner, S. W. Chua, J. Bertz, A. Volkerling, J. van der Hoven, A. Gladbach, M. Przybyla, M. Bi, A. van Hummel, C. H. Stevens, S. Ippati, L. S. Suh, A. Macmillan, G. Sutherland, J. J. Kril, A. P. G. Silva, J. Mackay, A. Poljak, F. Delerue, Y. D. Ke, L. M. Ittner, Site-specific phosphorylation of tau inhibits amyloid-β toxicity in Alzheimer’s mice. Science 354, 904–908 (2016). [Abstract]
Sacral neurons reassigned
Contrary to a century-old dogma, the pelvic nerves and ganglia do not belong to the parasympathetic nervous system but to the sympathetic one.
I. Espinosa-Medina, O. Saha, F. Boismoreau, Z. Chettouh, F. Rossi, W. D. Richardson, J.-F. Brunet, The sacral autonomic outflow is sympathetic. Science 354, 893–897 (2016).[Abstract]
I. Adameyko, Neural circuitry gets rewired. Science 354, 833–834 (2016). [Abstract]
