Catálogo de publicaciones - revistas

<jats:p> Díaz-Urrutia and Ott (Reports, 22 March 2019, p. 1326) report a selective conversion of methane to methanesulfonic acid that is proposed to occur by a cationic chain reaction in which CH <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> adds to sulfur trioxide (SO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> ) to form CH <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> –S(O) <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> . This mechanism is not plausible because of the solvent reactivity of CH <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> , the non-nucleophilicity of the sulfur atom of SO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> , and the high energy of CH <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> –S(O) <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> . </jats:p>

<jats:title>Wnt signaling out on a limb</jats:title> <jats:p> The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is central to hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) survival, renewal, and differentiation. Both excessive and insufficient β-catenin can have adverse consequences, so “destruction complexes” ensure its precise regulation. Using a mouse forward genetic screen, Choi <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic> identified a mutation in the gene limb region 1–like ( <jats:italic>Lmbr1l</jats:italic> ) that severely impaired lymphocyte development and function. LMBR1L interacted with multiple members of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The authors found that LMBR1L works with an endoplasmic reticulum–localized ubiquitin ligase to serve as a second brake on this system in lymphocytes. Deleting β-catenin decreased apoptosis and restored proliferative capacity in an <jats:italic>Lmbr1l</jats:italic> -deficient mouse T cell line. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Science</jats:italic> , this issue p. <jats:related-article xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="doi" related-article-type="in-this-issue" xlink:href="10.1126/science.aau0812">eaau0812</jats:related-article> </jats:p>

<jats:title>Origins of neuronal diversity</jats:title> <jats:p> Although the main task of a neuroprogenitor is to produce more cells, it may not always produce the same cells. Some progenitors produce different daughter neurons as an embryo develops. Concurrently, these daughter neurons are also transitioning through states toward maturation. Telley <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic> used single-cell RNA sequencing to survey the transcriptional identity of cells early in mouse brain development. As a neuroprogenitor transitioned to new states, it produced daughter neurons that reflect those new states. The neuron's own postmitotic differentiation program is apparently overlaid onto these parentally supplied programs, driving emergence of specialized neuronal cell types in the neocortex. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Science</jats:italic> , this issue p. <jats:related-article xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="doi" related-article-type="in-this-issue" xlink:href="10.1126/science.aav2522">eaav2522</jats:related-article> </jats:p>

<jats:title>Mix of metabolites tunes root microbiota</jats:title> <jats:p> Uncharacterized biosynthetic genes in plant genomes suggest that plants make a plethora of specialized metabolites. Huang <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic> reconstructed three biosynthetic networks from the small mustard plant <jats:italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</jats:italic> . Promiscuous acyltransferases and dehydrogenases contributed to metabolite diversification. The plant may use these specialized metabolites to modulate the microbiota surrounding its roots. Disruption of the pathways and intervention with purified compounds caused changes in the root microbiota. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Science</jats:italic> , this issue p. <jats:related-article xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="doi" related-article-type="in-this-issue" xlink:href="10.1126/science.aau6389">eaau6389</jats:related-article> </jats:p>

<jats:p>Last month, at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, President Xi Jinping gave an update on China's $US1.3 trillion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This massive land, sea, and digital enterprise aims to create improved economic, social, and environmental conditions between China and 126 cooperating countries from Asia, Europe, and Africa through strengthened connectivity by constructing roads, railways, IT networks, power stations, pipelines, airports, and ports. President Xi acknowledged growing international concerns about environmental damage along the BRI. Now, China must commit to addressing these issues. China's use of science and technology (S&amp;T) as an instrument to build BRI relationships should likewise be used to examine and minimize the environmental impacts of BRI projects.</jats:p>

<jats:p>A roundup of weekly science policy and related news.</jats:p>

<jats:p>Virus therapy appears to rescue lung transplant patient.</jats:p>