Adipocyte will be the first international peer-reviewed journal of its kind providing a multi-disciplinary forum for research focusing exclusively on all aspects of adipose tissue physiology and pathophysiology. Adipocyte will accept high-profile submissions in basic, translational and clinical research. We will publish Original Research, Brief Reports, Reviews, and Commentary.
Editor-in-Chief: Fahumiya Samad, Ph.D., Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that generally function as negative regulators of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) at the posttranscriptional level. MiRs bind to the 3′UTR of target mRNAs through complementary base pairing, resulting in target mRNA cleavage or translation repression. To date, over 15,000 distinct miRs have been identified in organisms ranging from viruses to man, and interest in miR research continues to intensify. Of note, the most enlightening aspect of miR function – the mRNAs they target – continues to be elusive. Descriptions of the molecular origins of independent miR molecules currently support the hypothesis that miR hairpin generation is based on... continue reading

Rap1 is a Ras-like GTPase that has been studied with respect to its role in cadherin-based cell adhesion. Rap1 exists as two separate isoforms, Rap1A and Rap1B, which are 95% identical and yet the phenotype of the isoform-specific knockout mice is different. We and others have previously identified a role for Rap1 in regulating endothelial adhesion, junctional integrity, and barrier function; however, these early studies did not distinguish a relative role for each isoform. To dissect the individual contribution of each isoform in regulating the endothelial barrier, we utilized an engineered microRNA-based approach to silence Rap1A, Rap1B, or both, then analyzed barrier properties of the... continue reading

L. Ashley Cowart

In January of 2012 we will launch JAK-STAT, the first international peer-reviewed journal of its kind to focus exclusively on the JAK-STAT signalling pathway. JAK-STAT will publish full-length, original papers and review articles describing key, novel findings on all aspects of mechanisms of actions in cellular signaling / transduction of the JAK-STAT pathways.
Editor-in-Chief: Anastasis Stephanou, University College London

A-type lamins are a major component of the nuclear lamina. Lamin proteins were reported to be first detectable at the onset of tissue differentiation and maturation during embryonic development. Mutations in the LMNA gene, which encodes the A-type lamins A and C, cause a set of phenotypically diverse diseases collectively called laminopathies. While adult LMNA null mice show various symptoms typically associated with laminopathies, the effect of loss of lamin A/C on early post-natal development is poorly understood. Here we developed a novel LMNA null mouse (LMNA^GT-/-) based on genetrap technology and analyzed its early post-natal development. We... continue reading

Birthweight has been associated with a number of health outcomes throughout life. Crucial to proper infant growth and development is the placenta, and alterations to placental gene function may reflect differences in the intrauterine environment which functionally contribute to infant growth and may ultimately affect the child’s health. To examine if epigenetic alteration to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene was linked to infant growth, we analyzed 480 human placentas for differential methylation of the GR gene exon 1F and examined how this variation in methylation extent was associated with fetal growth. Multivariable linear regression revealed a significant association (p <... continue reading

Lesley J. Collins

C. elegans RDE-4 is a double-stranded RNA binding protein that has been shown to play a key role in response to foreign double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We have used diverse tools for analysis of gene function to characterize the domain and organismal foci of RDE-4 action in C. elegans. First, we examined the focus of activity within the RDE-4 protein, by testing a series of RDE-4 deletion constructs for their ability to support dsRNA-triggered gene silencing. These assays indicated a molecular requirement for a linker region and the second dsRNA-binding domain of RDE-4, with ancillary contributions to function from the C and N terminal domains. Second, we used mosaic... continue reading

Prenatal under-nutrition involves changes in the epigenetic regulation of specific genes. Maternal magnesium (Mg) deficiency affects maternal glucocorticoid metabolism, but the mechanisms underlying changes in glucocorticoid homeostasis of offspring are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of feeding pregnant rats a Mg-deficient diet (0.003% magnesium) on the methylation of cytosine-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides in hepatic glucocorticoid genes of neonatal offspring, compared with controls (0.082% magnesium). Methylation of CpG dinucleotides in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (Ppara), glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) and 11β-hydroxysteroid... continue reading

When encountering a pathogen, all organisms evoke a protective response by inducing defense mechanisms to help fight off the invader. The invertebrate model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has proven to be valuable for studies of the host response and the small nematode mounts a substantial transcriptional response to numerous pathogens. Here, we use global quantitative proteomics to profile the response to infection with E. coli strain LF82 isolated from patients suffering from Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease. We show that LF82 infection induces more than one hundred proteins. The response share many functional categories with other innate immunity... continue reading

Nathaniel J. Soper, Dixon B. Kaufman

The Northwestern Handbook of Surgical Procedures, 2nd Edition, is designed to be reviewed prior to performing or participating in an operation. The authors of the book have identified the key steps of performing each procedure, to provide a framework to the learner for understanding the tasks and the sequence of those tasks necessary for successful performance. Breaking a complex performance like an operation into a series of steps is a technique well validated in the educational literature and provides the basic scaffold upon which the surgeon-in-training can add nuances and variations that are encountered in the course of experience, ultimately building a strong mental... continue reading

In January of 2012 we will launch Systems Biomedicine. This journal will cover the direct implementation of systems biology as it benefits human health.This includes harnessing the ever growing abilities of current high-throughput biotechnology into data and into the understanding of human health. We will publish Original Research, Brief Reports, Reviews, and Commentary.
Editor-in-Chief: Sol Efroni, Bar Ilan University

Within-pair comparison of monozygotic (MZ) twins provides an ideal model for studying factors that regulate epigenetic profile, by controlling for genetic variation. Previous reports have demonstrated epigenetic variability within MZ pairs, but the contribution of early life exposures to this variation remains unclear. As epigenetic marks govern gene expression, we have used gene expression discordance as a proxy measure of epigenetic discordance in MZ twins at birth in two cell types. We found strong evidence of expression discordance at birth in both cell types and some evidence for higher discordance in twin pairs with separate placentas. Genes previously defined as being involved in... continue reading

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes human infections that range in severity from pharyngitis ("strep-throat") to necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating disease").  To facilitate investigation of the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions, infection models capable of rapidly screening for differences in GAS strain virulence are needed.  To this end, we developed a Galleria mellonella larvae (wax worm) model of invasive GAS infection and used it to compare the virulence of serotype M3 GAS strains.  We found that GAS causes severe tissue damage and kills wax worms in a dose-dependent manner.  The virulence of genetically distinct GAS strains was compared by... continue reading

Antonio Rodríguez-Moreno, Talvinder Sihra

• •Examines the functional actions of the kainate‑type glutamate receptors (KARs)
• •Provides new insights into how KARs inhibit the slow after‑hyperpolarisation current
• •Gives insights into KAR interaction with intracellular binding partners

'Worm is a new international peer-reviewed journal publishing original research involving 'worm' model organisms, in particular C. elegans. Worm publishes brief reports and longer research articles, technical and methodological advances and review articles covering all areas of research from development to evolution, from genetics to systems biology, from metabolism to neurobiology and from molecular biology to genomics.'