Nature Communications - 24 September 2014

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Advertisement Nature Communications soon to be fully open access From 20th October Nature Communications, will become fully open access for all new submissions. If an author has a manuscript they wish to submit to the journal via the subscription route, they must submit before 20th October. After this date all new submissions, if accepted, will be published open access and an article processing charge (APC) will apply. For any questions on the switch, open access or advice on policies and funding, visit our website, read the press release or contact our dedicated support team at openaccess@nature.com     Weekly Content Alert 24 September 2014  Featured image: Timm et al. show that the crust subducted beneath the Kermedec arc may constitute the "missing piece" of the Ontong Java-Manihiki-Hikurangi super plateau. Latest content: Articles Corrigenda Erratum Journal homepage Recommend to library Web feed   Advertisement Nature Insight Exoplanets Almost 20 years after the discovery of the first exoplanet this Insight brings together a selection of reviews discussing our current theoretical understanding of exoplanets and their atmospheres, the missions that led to exoplanet discovery and the instruments, both present and future, that characterize planetary atmospheres. Access the Insight online.        Latest Articles View all Articles     Rapid in vivo detection of isoniazid-sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis by breath test Seong W. Choi, Mamoudou Maiga, Mariama C. Maiga, Viorel Atudorei, Zachary D. Sharp, William R. Bishai and Graham S. Timmins There is an urgent need for rapid point-of-care tools for tuberculosis diagnosis and antibiotic sensitivity analysis. Here, the authors describe a breath test that, within minutes, detects isoniazid-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis in infected animals. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5989 Biological Sciences  Analytical chemistry  Chemical biology  Microbiology  A bi-functional device for self-powered electrochromic window and self-rechargeable transparent battery applications Jinmin Wang, Lei Zhang, Le Yu, Zhihui Jiao, Huaqing Xie, Xiong Wen (David) Lou and Xiao Wei Sun Electrochromic smart windows and rechargeable batteries need external power sources to operate. Here, Sun et al. present a bi-functional device consisting of Prussian blue and aluminium electrodes, which shows potential applications in both self-powered smart windows and self-rechargeable batteries. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5921 Chemical Sciences  Materials science  Physical chemistry  Flutter-driven triboelectrification for harvesting wind energy Jihyun Bae, Jeongsu Lee, SeongMin Kim, Jaewook Ha, Byoung-Sun Lee, YoungJun Park, Chweelin Choong, Jin-Baek Kim, Zhong Lin Wang, Ho-Young Kim, Jong-Jin Park and U-In Chung The harvesting of electrical energy from renewable sources remains an ongoing scientific focus. Here, the authors report a triboelectric generator that is capable of harnessing energy from the wind via a flutter motion, with the output of the device dependent on the precise motion caused by the wind. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5929 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Seasonal changes in predator community switch the direction of selection for prey defences OPEN Johanna Mappes, Hanna Kokko, Katja Ojala and Leena Lindström The coexistence of alternative antipredatory strategies is poorly understood. Here, the authors show that warning colours lose their effectiveness when passerine birds, their main predators, fledge their young, which suggests that predators’ learning impacts selection for conspicuous warning signals. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6016 Biological Sciences  Ecology  Evolution  Enantioselective synthesis of helical polydiacetylene by application of linearly polarized light and magnetic field Yangyang Xu, Guang Yang, Hongyan Xia, Gang Zou, Qijin Zhang and Jiangang Gao Circularly polarized light is an established method to introduce enantioselectivity into a chemical process, however linearly polarized light is much less commonly used. Here, the authors use linearly polarized light in a magnetic field to achieve the enantioselective polymerization of diacetylene. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6050 Chemical Sciences  Materials science  Organic chemistry  Dichotomy of the electronic structure and superconductivity between single-layer and double-layer FeSe/SrTiO3 films Xu Liu, Defa Liu, Wenhao Zhang, Junfeng He, Lin Zhao, Shaolong He, Daixiang Mou, Fangsen Li, Chenjia Tang, Zhi Li, Lili Wang, Yingying Peng, Yan Liu, Chaoyu Chen, Li Yu, Guodong Liu, Xiaoli Dong, Jun Zhang, Chuangtian Chen, Zuyan Xu et al. The critical temperature of single-layer FeSe films is much higher than the bulk of other iron-based superconductors, but the mechanism for this is unclear. Adding to the puzzle, Liu et al. show that it is much more difficult to induce superconductivity in a double-layer FeSe film than a single layer. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6047 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Termination chemistry-driven dislocation structure at SrTiO3/MgO heterointerfaces Pratik P. Dholabhai, Ghanshyam Pilania, Jeffery A. Aguiar, Amit Misra and Blas P. Uberuaga Interfaces between oxides are known to play a controlling role on the properties of various multicomponent oxide systems. Here, the authors observe via simulations that the dislocation structure around the interface is strongly dependent on the termination chemistry at the interface. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6043 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Modelling the influence of photospheric turbulence on solar flare statistics M. Mendoza, A. Kaydul, L. de Arcangelis, J. S. Andrade Jr and H. J. Herrmann Solar flares follow complex statistical patterns, making it hard to understand and model their underlying physical processes. Here, the authors present a model based on reconnection of magnetic flux tubes twisted by turbulent photospheric flow that reproduces flare statistics and energy–time correlations. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6035 Physical Sciences  Astronomy  Fluids and plasma physics  Topological transport and atomic tunnelling–clustering dynamics for aged Cu-doped Bi2Te3 crystals OPEN Taishi Chen, Qian Chen, Koen Schouteden, Wenkai Huang, Xuefeng Wang, Zhe Li, Feng Miao, Xinran Wang, Zhaoguo Li, Bo Zhao, Shaochun Li, Fengqi Song, Jinlan Wang, Baigeng Wang, Chris Van Haesendonck and Guanghou Wang Enhancing the transport properties of surface states in topological insulators is vital if they are to be incorporated into practical devices. Towards this end, Chen et al. study the transport in aged (Cu0.1Bi0.9)2Te3.06, where the ageing process suppresses bulk conductance by up to four orders of magnitude. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6022 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  Similarity of wet granular packing to gels Jindong Li, Yixin Cao, Chengjie Xia, Binquan Kou, Xianghui Xiao, Kamel Fezzaa and Yujie Wang Colloidal suspensions are used as the model systems to study the gelation dynamics because colloidal particles are large and thermal. Here, Li et al. show an alternative system, wet granular packing, whose local structures exhibit fivefold symmetries similar to those observed in colloidal gels. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6014 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  SIRT6 represses LINE1 retrotransposons by ribosylating KAP1 but this repression fails with stress and age Michael Van Meter, Mehr Kashyap, Sarallah Rezazadeh, Anthony J. Geneva, Timothy D. Morello, Andrei Seluanov and Vera Gorbunova Retrotransposons are repetitive sequences in the genome that can amplify themselves and whose activity has been linked to age-related pathologies. Here, Van Meter et al. report that the histone deacetylase SIRT6 represses activity of the L1 retrotransposon by ribosylating the nuclear corepressor protein, KAP1. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6011 Biological Sciences  Medical research  Molecular biology  Signature of the Dirac cone in the properties of linear oligoacenes Richard Korytár, Dimitra Xenioti, Peter Schmitteckert, Mébarek Alouani and Ferdinand Evers The performance of organic electronics is sensitive to the band gap of organic molecules, which is believed to decay monotonously with the number of repeated molecular units. Here, the authors disprove this general consensus by finding oscillated gap magnitudes in oligoacene family as a model system. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6000 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Condensed matter  Organic chemistry  Evidence that breast cancer risk at the 2q35 locus is mediated through IGFBP5 regulation Maya Ghoussaini, Stacey L. Edwards, Kyriaki Michailidou, Silje Nord, Richard Cowper-Sal·lari, Kinjal Desai, Siddhartha Kar, Kristine M. Hillman, Susanne Kaufmann, Dylan M. Glubb, Jonathan Beesley, Joe Dennis, Manjeet K. Bolla, Qin Wang, Ed Dicks, Qi Guo, Marjanka K. Schmidt, Mitul Shah, Robert Luben, Judith Brown et al. Previous studies identified an association between the 2q35 locus and breast cancer. Here, the authors show that a SNP at 2q35, rs4442975, is associated with oestrogen receptor positive disease and suggest that this effect is mediated through the downregulation of a known breast cancer gene, IGFBP5. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5999 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Genetics  Activation of diverse signalling pathways by oncogenic PIK3CA mutations Xinyan Wu, Santosh Renuse, Nandini A. Sahasrabuddhe, Muhammad Saddiq Zahari, Raghothama Chaerkady, Min-Sik Kim, Raja S. Nirujogi, Morassa Mohseni, Praveen Kumar, Rajesh Raju, Jun Zhong, Jian Yang, Johnathan Neiswinger, Jun-Seop Jeong, Robert Newman, Maureen A. Powers, Babu Lal Somani, Edward Gabrielson, Saraswati Sukumar, Vered Stearns et al. Mutations in PIK3CA, a catalytic subunit of PI3 kinase, are linked to deregulation of Akt-mTOR signalling in many cancers. Here, using a SILAC-based quantitative proteomic approach, the authors discover six new AKT1 substrates, including the actin regulator cortactin. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5961 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Molecular biology  A room temperature low-threshold ultraviolet plasmonic nanolaser Qing Zhang, Guangyuan Li, Xinfeng Liu, Fang Qian, Yat Li, Tze Chien Sum, Charles M. Lieber and Qihua Xiong Surface plasmon lasers could improve our ability to generate and use light at nanometre scales, but they regularly suffer from optical losses that make them impractical, particularly at ultraviolet wavelengths. Zhang et al. demonstrate a low-threshold surface plasmon laser that overcomes this problem. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5953 Physical Sciences  Optical physics  A unified design space of synthetic stripe-forming networks OPEN Yolanda Schaerli, Andreea Munteanu, Magüi Gili, James Cotterell, James Sharpe and Mark Isalan Constructing gene circuits with predefined behaviours is typically done on a case-by-case basis. Schaerli et al. instead computationally explore the design space for 3-node networks that generate a stripe in response to a morphogen gradient, and build networks based on their simplest possible forms. 23 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5905 Biological Sciences  Bioengineering  Developmental biology  Systems biology  Platinum-modified covalent triazine frameworks hybridized with carbon nanoparticles as methanol-tolerant oxygen reduction electrocatalysts OPEN Kazuhide Kamiya, Ryo Kamai, Kazuhito Hashimoto and Shuji Nakanishi Covalent triazine frameworks are known catalysts for some catalytic reactions, but show no electrocatalytic activity. Here, the authors synthesize platinum modified covalent triazine frameworks hybridized with carbon nanoparticles, which are electro-active for oxygen reduction reactions. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6040 Chemical Sciences  Catalysis  Materials science  Physical chemistry  PICALM modulates autophagy activity and tau accumulation OPEN Kevin Moreau, Angeleen Fleming, Sara Imarisio, Ana Lopez Ramirez, Jacob L. Mercer, Maria Jimenez-Sanchez, Carla F. Bento, Claudia Puri, Eszter Zavodszky, Farah Siddiqi, Catherine P. Lavau, Maureen Betton, Cahir J. O’Kane, Daniel S. Wechsler and David C. Rubinsztein The protein PICALM/CALM is implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, but it is unclear how. In this study, the authors show that CALM regulates clearance of the protein tau, which is also implicated in AD pathology, by facilitating endocytosis-dependent autophagy. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5998 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Neuroscience  Coherent control in a semiconductor optical amplifier operating at room temperature A. Capua, O. Karni, G. Eisenstein, V. Sichkovskyi, V. Ivanov and J. P. Reithmaier The coherence time during which two energetic states in a semiconductor are synchronized can be very short. Here, the authors demonstrate that despite their brief coherence times, coherent control of such states can be achieved at room temperature. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6025 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Optical physics  Real-space observation of unbalanced charge distribution inside a perovskite-sensitized solar cell Victor W. Bergmann, Stefan A. L. Weber, F. Javier Ramos, Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin, Michael Grätzel, Dan Li, Anna L. Domanski, Ingo Lieberwirth, Shahzada Ahmad and Rüdiger Berger The performance of perovskite solar cells has improved dramatically over just a few years but our understanding of how they work is incomplete. Bergmann et al. use Kelvin probe force microscopy to map the electric potential in these cells to show that an accumulation of holes could limit this performance. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6001 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Materials science  Optical physics  Phenotypic characterization of missense polymerase-δ mutations using an inducible protein-replacement system Medini Manohar Ghodgaonkar, Patrick Kehl, Ilenia Ventura, Liyan Hu, Margherita Bignami and Josef Jiricny The essential nature of replicative polymerases has hampered the study of polymerase-δ mutations found in colorectal cancer cells. Here, using polymerase-δ mutations as a proof of principle, the authors present an inducible single vector system that replaces any endogenous gene with an RNAi-resistant mutant version. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5990 Biological Sciences  Molecular biology  Chemical sensing with switchable transport channels in graphene grain boundaries Poya Yasaei, Bijandra Kumar, Reza Hantehzadeh, Morteza Kayyalha, Artem Baskin, Nikita Repnin, Canhui Wang, Robert F. Klie, Yong P. Chen, Petr Král and Amin Salehi-Khojin Grain boundaries in graphene are present between misaligned crystalline areas, and influence the resulting properties, often in a negative fashion. Here, the authors use these boundaries for chemical detection, observing markedly higher sensitivities as compared with single-crystalline domains. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5911 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies novel loci that influence cupping and the glaucomatous process OPEN Henriët. Springelkamp, René Höhn, Aniket Mishra, Pirro G. Hysi, Chiea-Chuen Khor, Stephanie J. Loomis, Jessica N. Cooke Bailey, Jane Gibson, Gudmar Thorleifsson, Sarah F. Janssen, Xiaoyan Luo, Wishal D. Ramdas, Eranga Vithana, Monisha E. Nongpiur, Grant W. Montgomery, Liang Xu, Jenny E. Mountain, Puya Gharahkhani, Yi Lu, Najaf Amin et al. Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Here, the authors carry out a large meta-analysis of genetic data from individuals of European and Asian ancestry and identify 10 new loci associated with vertical cup-disc ratio, a key factor in the clinical assessment of patients with glaucoma. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5883 Biological Sciences  Genetics  Medical research  Species-specific defence responses facilitate conspecifics and inhibit heterospecifics in above–belowground herbivore interactions OPEN Wei Huang, Evan Siemann, Li Xiao, Xuefang Yang and Jianqing Ding It is unclear how herbivores determine community structure. Here the authors show how interactions between aboveground adults and belowground larvae of a tree flea beetle and multiple heterospecific aboveground species interact via plant defence responses to determine herbivore performance. 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5851 Biological Sciences  Ecology  Genomic analyses of gynaecologic carcinosarcomas reveal frequent mutations in chromatin remodelling genes Siân Jones, Nicolas Stransky, Christine L. McCord, Ethan Cerami, James Lagowski, Devon Kelly, Samuel V. Angiuoli, Mark Sausen, Lisa Kann, Manish Shukla, Rosemary Makar, Laura D. Wood, Luis A. Diaz, Christoph Lengauer and Victor E. Velculescu Malignant mixed Müllerian tumours are a rare and aggressive gynaecological cancer with poor 5-year survival rates. Here, the authors characterize the mutational landscape of carcinosarcomas and highlight the role of chromatin remodelling dysregulation in carcinosarcoma tumorigenesis. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6006 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Genetics  Real-time QEXAFS spectroscopy measures rapid precipitate formation at the mineral–water interface Matthew Siebecker, Wei Li, Syed Khalid and Donald Sparks Geochemical reactions at the mineral–water interface are complicated, yet a molecular-scale understanding of their kinetics is critical. Here, Siebecker et al. conduct real-time measurements in a flow-through cell to show the rapid formation of layered double hydroxides at a clay mineral surface. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms6003 Earth Sciences  Geology and geophysics  Materials science  Identifiying signatures of photothermal current in a double-gated semiconducting nanotube G. Buchs, S. Bagiante and G.A. Steele Semiconducting carbon nanotubes have already demonstrated their potential for solar-cell and photodetector applications. Here, the authors use scanning photocurrent microscopy to show that the photocurrent generated in such nanotubes can be dominated by both photovoltaic and photothermal mechanisms. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5987 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Nanotechnology  Shoot-derived cytokinins systemically regulate root nodulation Takema Sasaki, Takuya Suzaki, Takashi Soyano, Mikiko Kojima, Hitoshi Sakakibara and Masayoshi Kawaguchi Legumes regulate the number of nitrogen-fixing nodules on their roots through long-distance root–shoot communication. Here, Sasaki et al. identify shoot-derived cytokinins, produced downstream of CLE-RS1/2-HAR1 signalling, as important soluble factors limiting nodulation. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5983 Biological Sciences  Plant sciences  Macrophage-inducible C-type lectin underlies obesity-induced adipose tissue fibrosis Miyako Tanaka, Kenji Ikeda, Takayoshi Suganami, Chikara Komiya, Kozue Ochi, Ibuki Shirakawa, Miho Hamaguchi, Satoshi Nishimura, Ichiro Manabe, Takahisa Matsuda, Kumi Kimura, Hiroshi Inoue, Yutaka Inagaki, Seiichiro Aoe, Sho Yamasaki and Yoshihiro Ogawa The protein Mincle can sense pathogens and molecules associated with cell death. Here the authors show that Mincle expressed in macrophages is a mediator of obesity-induced fibrosis and inflammation of adipose tissue, and that Mincle knockout mice are protected from diet-induced metabolic dysfunction. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5982 Biological Sciences  Medical research  Biocompatible click chemistry enabled compartment-specific pH measurement inside E. coli Maiyun Yang, Abubakar S. Jalloh, Wei Wei, Jing Zhao, Peng Wu and Peng R. Chen Copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions are very useful for the modification of biomolecules, but copper toxicity has hindered their use in living cells. Here, the authors present a non-toxic, ligand-chelated copper catalyst for click-reactions and pH monitoring in E. coli cells. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5981 Biological Sciences  Chemical biology  Kainate receptor activation induces glycine receptor endocytosis through PKC deSUMOylation OPEN Hao Sun, Li Lu, Yong Zuo, Yan Wang, Yingfu Jiao, Wei-Zheng Zeng, Chao Huang, Michael X. Zhu, Gerald W. Zamponi, Tong Zhou, Tian-Le Xu, Jinke Cheng and Yong Li Maintenance of proper membrane excitability is vital to neuronal function and in several neuronal types this relies on a balance between receptor-mediated excitation and inhibition. Here the authors report a crosstalk between excitatory kainate receptors and inhibitory glycine receptors that relies on the SUMOylation status of PKC. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5980 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Neuroscience  IRF8 inhibits C/EBPα activity to restrain mononuclear phagocyte progenitors from differentiating into neutrophils Daisuke Kurotaki, Michio Yamamoto, Akira Nishiyama, Kazuhiro Uno, Tatsuma Ban, Motohide Ichino, Haruka Sasaki, Satoko Matsunaga, Masahiro Yoshinari, Akihide Ryo, Masatoshi Nakazawa, Keiko Ozato and Tomohiko Tamura The mechanisms mediating lineage restriction in haematopoietic cell differentiation are not well understood. Here the authors show when and how the transcription factor IRF8 inhibits neutrophil differentiation during the lineage selection of monocytes and dendritic cells. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5978 Biological Sciences  Immunology  Kinetochores require oligomerization of Dam1 complex to maintain microtubule attachments against tension and promote biorientation Neil T. Umbreit, Matthew P. Miller, Jerry F. Tien, Jérôme Cattin Ortolá, Long Gui, Kelly K. Lee, Sue Biggins, Charles L. Asbury and Trisha N. Davis The oligomeric Dam1 complex mediates microtubule attachment to kinetochores during mitosis; however, the significance of its oligomeric structure remains unclear. Umbreit et al. show that Dam1 oligomerization is required for microtubules to form attachments that are robust against tension. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5951 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Epidermal photonic devices for quantitative imaging of temperature and thermal transport characteristics of the skin Li Gao, Yihui Zhang, Viktor Malyarchuk, Lin Jia, Kyung-In Jang, R Chad Webb, Haoran Fu, Yan Shi, Guoyan Zhou, Luke Shi, Deesha Shah, Xian Huang, Baoxing Xu, Cunjiang Yu, Yonggang Huang and John A. Rogers The determination of skin temperature is an important factor to consider in medical and physiological research. Here, the authors fabricate a thermochromic liquid crystal sensor for the determination of skin temperature and thermal properties. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5938 Biological Sciences  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Vibrio cholerae use pili and flagella synergistically to effect motility switching and conditional surface attachment Andrew S. Utada, Rachel R. Bennett, Jiunn C. N. Fong, Maxsim L. Gibiansky, Fitnat H. Yildiz, Ramin Golestanian and Gerard C. L. Wong Vibrio cholerae require flagella and mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin pili to attach to surfaces and form biofilms. Here Utada et al. find that flagella and pili act synergistically to mechanically scan a surface before irreversibly attaching via the pili. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5913 Biological Sciences  Applied physics  Biophysics  Microbiology  Warped linear mixed models for the genetic analysis of transformed phenotypes OPEN Nicolo Fusi, Christoph Lippert, Neil D. Lawrence and Oliver Stegle Linear mixed models (LMMs) provide a powerful method for studying genotype–phenotype associations. Here the authors present a LMM application that estimates an optimal transformation from observed data and increases the accuracy of heritability estimation and phenotype prediction. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5890 Biological Sciences  Bioinformatics  Genetics  Gravitaxis of asymmetric self-propelled colloidal particles Borge ten Hagen, Felix Kümmel, Raphael Wittkowski, Daisuke Takagi, Hartmut Löwen and Clemens Bechinger Gravitaxis describes the ability of microorganisms to adjust their swimming motion on the gravitational field, yet its mechanism remains unclear. Here, the authors show that an asymmetric shape of colloidal particles is alone sufficient to induce gravitactic motion in the absence of density inhomogeneity. 19 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5829 Physical Sciences  Biophysics  Fluids and plasma physics  In vivo single-molecule imaging identifies altered dynamics of calcium channels in dystrophin-mutant C. elegans OPEN Hong Zhan, Ramunas Stanciauskas, Christian Stigloher, Kevin K. Dizon, Maelle Jospin, Jean-Louis Bessereau and Fabien Pinaud Single molecule fluorescence microscopy is a powerful technique to study protein dynamics in cells, but it has not been applied to adult animals. The authors use complementation-activated light microscopy in C. elegans to discover that dystrophin regulates the diffusion properties of voltage-dependent calcium ion channels at the surface of body-wall muscle cells. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5974 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Role for MMP-9 in stress-induced downregulation of nectin-3 in hippocampal CA1 and associated behavioural alterations OPEN Michael A. van der Kooij, Martina Fantin, Emilia Rejmak, Jocelyn Grosse, Olivia Zanoletti, Celine Fournier, Krishnendu Ganguly, Katarzyna Kalita, Leszek Kaczmarek and Carmen Sandi A role for cell adhesion molecules like nectin-3 in the mechanisms that underlie the behavioural effects of stress have been previously described. Here the authors show that the metalloproteinase matrix metalloproteinase-9 is involved in proteolysis of nectin-3 and in mediating stress induced behavioural effects in rats. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5995 Biological Sciences  Neuroscience  Deterministic arbitrary switching of polarization in a ferroelectric thin film R. K. Vasudevan, Y. Matsumoto, Xuan Cheng, A. Imai, S. Maruyama, H. L. Xin, M. B. Okatan, S. Jesse, S. V. Kalinin and V. Nagarajan The switching of ferroelectric polarization is of promise for non-volatile electronic memory devices. Here, the authors show that nanodomains in a ferroelectric composite allow the arbitrary rotation of the macroscopic polarization, potentially enabling memory devices with more than two storage states. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5971 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Low-energy electrodynamics of novel spin excitations in the quantum spin ice Yb2Ti2O7 LiDong Pan, Se Kwon Kim, A. Ghosh, Christopher M. Morris, Kate A. Ross, Edwin Kermarrec, Bruce D. Gaulin, S. M. Koohpayeh, Oleg Tchernyshyov and N. P. Armitage In geometrically frustrated magnets, long-range magnetic order is typically suppressed, whereas at the same time non-trivial spin correlations are observed. Using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy, the authors find evidence for extended quantum string-like excitations in the quantum spin ice material Yb2Ti2O7. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5970 Physical Sciences  Condensed matter  Materials science  Evolution of interlayer coupling in twisted molybdenum disulfide bilayers Kaihui Liu, Liming Zhang, Ting Cao, Chenhao Jin, Diana Qiu, Qin Zhou, Alex Zettl, Peidong Yang, Steve G. Louie and Feng Wang Interlayer coupling between two-dimensional materials is known to result in interesting physical properties. Here, the authors study the effect of a twist angle between two-dimensional molybdenum disulphide on interlayer coupling, observing an indirect bandgap, the size of which depends on the twist angle. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5966 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Primate-specific miR-576-3p sets host defense signalling threshold Melanie L. Yarbrough, Ke Zhang, Ramanavelan Sakthivel, Christian V. Forst, Bruce A. Posner, Glen N. Barber, Michael A. White and Beatriz M. A. Fontoura miRNAs regulate a range of biological processes, including the immune response and viral infection. Here, the authors perform a genome-wide miRNA mimic screen and identify a miRNA induced by IRF3 during viral infection that regulates viral–host interactions. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5963 Biological Sciences  Immunology  Germanium avalanche receiver for low power interconnects Léopold Virot, Paul Crozat, Jean-Marc Fédéli, Jean-Michel Hartmann, Delphine Marris-Morini, Eric Cassan, Frédéric Boeuf and Laurent Vivien Despite many recent advances in silicon photonics for optical telecommunications and on-chip optical interconnects, the issue of power consumption has not been fully addressed. Here, Virot et al. propose a waveguide avalanche germanium photodiode suitable for low power consumption interconnects. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5957 Physical Sciences  Nanotechnology  Optical physics  De novo TBR1 mutations in sporadic autism disrupt protein functions Pelagia Deriziotis, Brian J. O’Roak, Sarah A. Graham, Sara B. Estruch, Danai Dimitropoulou, Raphael A. Bernier, Jennifer Gerdts, Jay Shendure, Evan E. Eichler and Simon E. Fisher Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by social impairments, communication deficits and repetitive stereotyped behaviours. Here, the authors show that de novo missense mutations, but not inherited missense mutations, in TBR1 disrupt the protein function and contribute to ASD aetiology. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5954 Biological Sciences  Genetics  Neuroscience  Niche and host-associated functional signatures of the root surface microbiome Maya Ofek-Lalzar, Noa Sela, Milana Goldman-Voronov, Stefan J. Green, Yitzhak Hadar and Dror Minz Assembly of the root surface microbiome varies according to soil type and plant species. Here, Ofek-Lalzar et al. use metagenome and metatranscriptome analysis to reveal distinct functional signatures of microbial communities associated with two diverse plant hosts. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5950 Biological Sciences  Microbiology  Plant sciences  The transcription factor Apontic-like controls diverse colouration pattern in caterpillars Shinichi Yoda, Junichi Yamaguchi, Kazuei Mita, Kimiko Yamamoto, Yutaka Banno, Toshiya Ando, Takaaki Daimon and Haruhiko Fujiwara The molecular factors underlying the evolution of diverse morphological traits are poorly understood. Here, the authors show that differential expression of the gene, apontic-like, affects colour phenotypes in caterpillars by inducing gene expression in the melanin pathway. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5936 Biological Sciences  Evolution  Genetics  An optimized optogenetic clustering tool for probing protein interaction and function Amir Taslimi, Justin D. Vrana, Daniel Chen, Sofya Borinskaya, Bruce J. Mayer, Matthew J. Kennedy and Chandra L. Tucker Protein–protein interactions are fundamental to nearly all molecular and cellular processes. Here Taslimi et al. describe a versatile new optogenetic module that can be used to visualize protein–protein interactions, as well as reversibly control them with light with spatiotemporal resolution. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5925 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Glucose substitution prolongs maintenance of energy homeostasis and lifespan of telomere dysfunctional mice OPEN Pavlos Missios, Yuan Zhou, Luis Miguel Guachalla, Guido von Figura, Andre Wegner, Sundaram Reddy Chakkarappan, Tina Binz, Anne Gompf, Götz Hartleben, Martin D. Burkhalter, Veronika Wulff, Cagatay Günes, Rui Wang Sattler, Zhangfa Song, Thomas Illig, Susanne Klaus, Bernhard O. Böhm, Tina Wenz, Karsten Hiller and K. Lenhard Rudolph et al. Shortened telomeres and reduced mitochondrial biogenesis are cellular hallmarks of ageing. Here, Missios et al. show that old mice with telomere dysfunction have an increased energetic demand that cannot be met unless mice are fed a glucose-rich diet, which improves energy metabolism and extends lifespan. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5924 Biological Sciences  Medical research  Improved nucleosome-positioning algorithm iNPS for accurate nucleosome positioning from sequencing data Weizhong Chen, Yi Liu, Shanshan Zhu, Christopher D. Green, Gang Wei and Jing-Dong Jackie Han Changes in nucleosome positioning often underlie the reprogramming of gene expression during differentiation. Here Chen et al. describe a novel algorithm - iNPS - that outperforms current methods in accurately determine nucleosome position genome-wide. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5909 Biological Sciences  Bioinformatics  miRNA-based buffering of the cobblestone–lissencephaly-associated extracellular matrix receptor dystroglycan via its alternative 3′-UTR OPEN Andriy S. Yatsenko, April K. Marrone and Halyna R. Shcherbata Aberrant function of the extracellular matrix receptor dystroglycan is associated with human congenital muscular dystrophies, often associated with brain and eye abnormalities. Here, the authors describe a role for the miRNA miR-310s in regulating dystroglycan expression during Drosophila brain development. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5906 Biological Sciences  Developmental biology  WT1 interacts with MAD2 and regulates mitotic checkpoint function Jayasha Shandilya, Eneda Toska, Derek J. Richard, Kathryn F. Medler and Stefan G. E. Roberts The transcription factor WT1 can act as either a tumour suppressor or an oncogene by regulating gene expression. Shandilya et al. show that WT1 also directly activates the spindle assembly checkpoint by binding the checkpoint protein MAD2 to delay anaphase and promote chromosomal stability. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5903 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Structural analyses of Ca2+/CaM interaction with NaV channel C-termini reveal mechanisms of calcium-dependent regulation Chaojian Wang, Ben C. Chung, Haidun Yan, Hong-Gang Wang, Seok-Yong Lee and Geoffrey S. Pitt Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells and mutations at NaV loci are responsible for several human diseases. Here, Wang et al. provide novel structural insights into the regulation of NaV channel activity by calcium-bound calmodulin. 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5896 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Hierarchically porous carbons with optimized nitrogen doping as highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction Hai-Wei Liang, Xiaodong Zhuang, Sebastian Brüller, Xinliang Feng and Klaus Müllen There is substantial research underway into the development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts as alternatives to platinum for the oxygen reduction reaction. Here, the authors optimize both porosity and surface functionalization of a nitrogen doped carbon material to achieve notable performance. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5973 Chemical Sciences  Catalysis  Materials science  Nanotechnology  Cavity-free plasmonic nanolasing enabled by dispersionless stopped light OPEN Tim Pickering, Joachim M. Hamm, A. Freddie Page, Sebastian Wuestner and Ortwin Hess The stopped light principle engenders an inherent feedback mechanism for light. Pickering et al. study the implications of this local feedback in gain-enhanced plasmonic nanostructures and find the natural emergence of ultrafast photonic and plasmonic cavity-free lasing on the nanoscale. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5972 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Nanotechnology  Optical physics  Nonlinear optics of fibre event horizons Karen E. Webb, Miro Erkintalo, Yiqing Xu, Neil G. R. Broderick, John M. Dudley, Goëry Genty and Stuart G. Murdoch Fibre optic event horizons have been described in the time domain where a soliton-induced refractive index barrier modifies the velocity of a probe. Here, Webb et al. describe horizon dynamics in the frequency domain in terms of cascaded four-wave mixing between discrete single-frequency fields. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5969 Physical Sciences  Astronomy  Optical physics  Large recovery strain in Fe-Mn-Si-based shape memory steels obtained by engineering annealing twin boundaries Y.H. Wen, H.B. Peng, D. Raabe, I. Gutierrez-Urrutia, J. Chen and Y.Y. Du It has previously been shown experimentally that nanotwins in cubic boron nitride can lead to significant strengthening. Here, the authors perform simulations to understand the mechanism behind this, reporting a twin-boundary dominated indentation strain stiffening phenomena. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5964 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Thermal mirror buckling in freestanding graphene locally controlled by scanning tunnelling microscopy M. Neek-Amal, P. Xu, J.K. Schoelz, M.L. Ackerman, S.D. Barber, P.M. Thibado, A. Sadeghi and F.M. Peeters Controlling ripples in freestanding graphene provides an additional tool when fabricating and designing flexible electronic devices. Here, the authors demonstrate that temperature gradients can be used to control such curvature, resulting from a negative thermal expansion coefficient. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5962 Physical Sciences  Materials science  Metabolic properties in stroked rats revealed by relaxation-enhanced magnetic resonance spectroscopy at ultrahigh fields Noam Shemesh, Jens T. Rosenberg, Jean-Nicolas Dumez, Jose A. Muniz, Samuel C. Grant and Lucio Frydman 1H magnetic resonance can detect endogenous metabolites at physiological concentrations but its application in animal models is challenged by low sensitivity. Here the authors focus ultrahigh magnetic fields on metabolites whose spectral signatures are selectively excited, and achieve microarchitectural insight of rat brains after a stroke. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5958 Biological Sciences  Chemical biology  Neuroscience  Membrane curvature sensing by the C-terminal domain of complexin David Snead, Rachel T. Wragg, Jeremy S. Dittman and David Eliezer Complexin binds to synaptic vesicles and inhibits spontaneous exocytosis. Here Snead et al. show that the high curvature of the vesicle membrane is important for membrane binding, and induces a conformational change that is important for complexin’s inhibitory function. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5955 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Biophysics  Prompt meningeal reconstruction mediated by oxygen-sensitive AKAP12 scaffolding protein after central nervous system injury Jong-Ho Cha, Hee-Jun Wee, Ji Hae Seo, Bum Ju Ahn, Ji-Hyeon Park, Jun-Mo Yang, Sae-Won Lee, Ok-Hee Lee, Hyo-Jong Lee, Irwin H. Gelman, Ken Arai, Eng H. Lo and Kyu-Won Kim Reconstruction of damaged meninges is important for reducing neuronal damage after a brain injury. Here the authors identify AKAP12 as an effector that modulates meningeal reconstruction, and show that its expression is regulated by the upstream signals TGF-ß1, retinoic acid and oxygen tension. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5952 Biological Sciences  Neuroscience  One-step synthesis of zero-dimensional hollow nanoporous gold nanoparticles with enhanced methanol electrooxidation performance Srikanth Pedireddy, Hiang Kwee Lee, Weng Weei Tjiu, In Yee Phang, Hui Ru Tan, Shu Quan Chua, Cedric Troadec and Xing Yi Ling Nanoporous gold has many potential catalytic applications and is usually fabricated via de-alloying strategies. Here, the authors report a one-step solution phase synthesis of tunable zero-dimension porous gold nanostructures and evaluate them for methanol electrocatalysis. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5947 Chemical Sciences  Catalysis  Materials science  Programmable biofilm-based materials from engineered curli nanofibres Peter Q. Nguyen, Zsofia Botyanszki, Pei Kun R. Tay and Neel S. Joshi Bacterial cells use a self-generated extracellular matrix of various biomolecules in order to form biofilms and promote their stability. Here, the authors present a method for genetically controlling the composition of this extracellular matrix to yield more functional biofilms. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5945 Biological Sciences  Bioengineering  Microbiology  TNFR1 mediates TNF-α-induced tumour lymphangiogenesis and metastasis by modulating VEGF-C-VEGFR3 signalling Hong Ji, Renhai Cao, Yunlong Yang, Yin Zhang, Hideki Iwamoto, Sharon Lim, Masaki Nakamura, Patrik Andersson, Jian Wang, Yuping Sun, Steen Dissing, Xia He, Xiaojuan Yang and Yihai Cao TNF-α signalling regulates a range of pathophysiological functions including tumour growth, but its role in lymphatic metastasis is unclear. Here the authors show that TNF-α signalling stimulates lymphatic endothelial cell activity, lymphangiogenesis and metastasis by modulating VEGF-C-VEGFR3 signalling. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5944 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Immunology  Interlocked DNA nanostructures controlled by a reversible logic circuit OPEN Tao Li, Finn Lohmann and Michael Famulok DNA is a particularly useful molecule with which to assemble mechanical nanodevices with controllable functions. Here, the authors present a three-membered DNA catenane as a controllable and reversible logic circuit. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5940 Chemical Sciences  Small-molecule Bax agonists for cancer therapy Meiguo Xin, Rui Li, Maohua Xie, Dongkyoo Park, Taofeek K. Owonikoko, Gabriel L. Sica, Patrick E. Corsino, Jia Zhou, Chunyong Ding, Mark A. White, Andrew T. Magis, Suresh S. Ramalingam, Walter J. Curran, Fadlo R. Khuri and Xingming Deng A major proapoptotic mediator, Bax, is expressed in lung cancer and its activity can be regulated by phosphorylation. Here, the authors screen a library of compounds for their ability to alter the phosphorylation status of Bax and identify therapeutic candidates. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5935 Biological Sciences  Cancer  Medical research  Lifespan maturation and degeneration of human brain white matter Jason D. Yeatman, Brian A. Wandell and Aviv A. Mezer White matter in the human brain is known to change its properties during an individual's lifespan. Here, Yeatman et al. use quantitative imaging measurements of the living human brain to model changes in white mater structure based on tissue development and decline between the ages of 7–85 years. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5932 Biological Sciences  Neuroscience  Subduction of the oceanic Hikurangi Plateau and its impact on the Kermadec arc Christian Timm, Bryan Davy, Karsten Haase, Kaj A. Hoernle, Ian J. Graham, Cornel E. J. de Ronde, Jon Woodhead, Dan Bassett, Folkmar Hauff, Nick Mortimer, Hannu C. Seebeck, Richard J. Wysoczanski, Fabio Caratori-Tontini and John A. Gamble Large igneous province subduction is a rare process with many unknowns. Timm et al. present geochemical and geophysical data providing insights into the Hikurangi Plateau subduction and its impact on arc volcanism, identifying a missing piece of the Ontong Java–Manihiki–Hikurangi super plateau. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5923 Earth Sciences  Geology and geophysics  Carbon nanotubes as in vivo bacterial probes Neelkanth M. Bardhan, Debadyuti Ghosh and Angela M. Belcher The non-invasive detection and imaging of bacterial infection in living organisms is increasingly important. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of labelled carbon nanotubes as bacterial probes in living hosts, and are able to image deep tissue infections with higher signal amplification than dye imaging. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5918 Biological Sciences  Nanotechnology  Fast electrical switching of orbital angular momentum modes using ultra-compact integrated vortex emitters Michael J. Strain, Xinlun Cai, Jianwei Wang, Jiangbo Zhu, David B. Phillips, Lifeng Chen, Martin Lopez-Garcia, Jeremy L. O’Brien, Mark G. Thompson, Marc Sorel and Siyuan Yu Fast keying and mode switching exploiting the orbital angular momentum of light are sought after in optical communications and quantum key distribution for larger transmission capacity and higher security. Here Strain et al., propose a compact thermo-optically tunable vortex emitter with microsecond switching rates. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5856 Physical Sciences  Applied physics  Nanotechnology  Optical physics  Rational design of all organic polymer dielectrics Vinit Sharma, Chenchen Wang, Robert G. Lorenzini, Rui Ma, Qiang Zhu, Daniel W. Sinkovits, Ghanshyam Pilania, Artem R. Oganov, Sanat Kumar, Gregory A. Sotzing, Steven A. Boggs and Rampi Ramprasad The selection of polymeric dielectric materials for energy storage applications is not trivial, as several criteria must be satisfied simultaneously. Here, Sharma et al. present a high-throughput hierarchical strategy using the band gap and dielectric constant to screen and identify good candidates. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5845 Chemical Sciences  Applied physics  Materials science  eEF2 and Ras-GAP SH3 domain-binding protein (G3BP1) modulate stress granule assembly during HIV-1 infection Fernando Valiente-Echeverría, Luca Melnychuk, Kishanda Vyboh, Lara Ajamian, Imed-Eddine Gallouzi, Nicole Bernard and Andrew J. Mouland Cells under environmental stress, including viral infections, accumulate RNA molecules stalled in pre-initiation complexes known as stress granules (SG). Here the authors show that the viral protein Gag counters anti-viral stress responses by inhibiting SG assembly during HIV-1 infection. 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5819 Biological Sciences  Cell biology  Microbiology  Virology    Nature Communications JOBS of the week Postdoctoral Research Associate University of Edinburgh PhD Student University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Research worker King's College London Research Associate University of Cambridge Group Leader Position Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology Postdoctoral Fellow European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Postdoctoral Fellow University of Michigan PhD Studentships Cardiff University Research Fellowship Newcastle University Post-Doctoral Fellowship FAPESP - São Paulo Research Foundation More Science jobs from Nature Communications EVENT Stem cells: from basic research to bioprocessing 09.06.15 London, UK More science events from       Latest Corrigenda     Corrigendum: RecG and UvsW catalyse robust DNA rewinding critical for stalled DNA replication fork rescue Maria Manosas, Senthil K. Perumal, Piero R. Bianco, Felix Ritort, Stephen J. Benkovic and Vincent Croquette 22 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5210 Biological Sciences  Biochemistry  Molecular biology      Corrigendum: Perilipin1 promotes unilocular lipid droplet formation through the activation of Fsp27 in adipocytes Zhiqi Sun, Jingyi Gong, Han Wu, Wenyi Xu, Lizhen Wu, Dijin Xu, Jinlan Gao, Jia-wei Wu, Hongyuan Yang, Maojun Yang and Peng Li 17 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5985 Biological Sciences  Cell biology        Latest Erratum     Erratum: A genetic and computational approach to structurally classify neuronal subtypes Uygar Sümbül, Sen Song, Kyle McCulloch, Michael Becker, Bin Lin, Joshua R. Sanes, Richard H. Masland and H. Sebastian Seung 18 September 2014 | doi: 10.1038/ncomms5690 Biological Sciences  Bioinformatics  Neuroscience      Advertisement A new open access, multi-and interdisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing the finest research on microbial biofilms and microbiomes, the journal is now open for submissions.  Explore the benefits of submitting your next research article.   Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available here. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on natureevents.com. For event advertising opportunities across the Nature Publishing Group portfolio please contact natureevents@nature.com  More Nature Events You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. 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