Nature
Allosteric ligands for the pharmacologically dark receptors GPR68 and GPR65
Allosteric ligands for the pharmacologically dark receptors GPR68 and GPR65
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15699
Authors: Xi-Ping Huang, Joel Karpiak, Wesley K. Kroeze, Hu Zhu, Xin Chen, Sheryl S. Moy, Kara A. Saddoris, Viktoriya D. Nikolova, Martilias S. Farrell, Sheng Wang, Thomas J. Mangano, Deepak A. Deshpande, Alice Jiang, Raymond B. Penn, Jian Jin, Beverly H. Koller, Terry Kenakin, Brian K. Shoichet & Bryan L. Roth
At least 120 non-olfactory G-protein-coupled receptors in the human genome are ‘orphans’ for which endogenous ligands are unknown, and many have no selective ligands, hindering the determination of their biological functions and clinical relevance. Among these is GPR68, a proton receptor that lacks small molecule
Extra adsorption and adsorbate superlattice formation in metal-organic frameworks
Extra adsorption and adsorbate superlattice formation in metal-organic frameworks
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15734
Authors: Hae Sung Cho, Hexiang Deng, Keiichi Miyasaka, Zhiyue Dong, Minhyung Cho, Alexander V. Neimark, Jeung Ku Kang, Omar M. Yaghi & Osamu Terasaki
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have a high internal surface area and widely tunable composition, which make them useful for applications involving adsorption, such as hydrogen, methane or carbon dioxide storage. The selectivity and uptake capacity of the adsorption process are determined by interactions involving the adsorbates and their porous host materials. But, although the interactions of adsorbate molecules with the internal MOF surface and also amongst themselves within individual pores have been extensively studied, adsorbate–adsorbate interactions across pore walls have not been explored. Here we show that local strain in the MOF, induced by pore filling, can give rise to collective and long-range adsorbate–adsorbate interactions and the formation of adsorbate superlattices that extend beyond an original MOF unit cell. Specifically, we use in situ small-angle X-ray scattering to track and map the distribution and ordering of adsorbate molecules in five members of the mesoporous MOF-74 series along entire adsorption–desorption isotherms. We find in all cases that the capillary condensation that fills the pores gives rise to the formation of ‘extra adsorption domains’—that is, domains spanning several neighbouring pores, which have a higher adsorbate density than non-domain pores. In the case of one MOF, IRMOF-74-V-hex, these domains form a superlattice structure that is difficult to reconcile with the prevailing view of pore-filling as a stochastic process. The visualization of the adsorption process provided by our data, with clear evidence for initial adsorbate aggregation in distinct domains and ordering before an even distribution is finally reached, should help to improve our understanding of this process and may thereby improve our ability to exploit it practically.
The week in science: 23–29 October 2015
The week in science: 23–29 October 2015
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/526614a
Martian landing-site selected; telescope shuttered in Hawaii; and Hurricane Patricia pounds Mexico.
Microbiology: Create a global microbiome effort
Microbiology: Create a global microbiome effort
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526631a
Authors: Nicole Dubilier, Margaret McFall-Ngai & Liping Zhao
Understanding how microbes affect health and the biosphere requires an international initiative, argue Nicole Dubilier, Margaret McFall-Ngai and Liping Zhao.
Institutions: Revive universities of the Muslim world
Institutions: Revive universities of the Muslim world
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526634a
Authors: Nidhal Guessoum & Athar Osama
To boost science, higher-education institutes must give students a broad education and become meritocratic, say Nidhal Guessoum and Athar Osama.
Endoperoxide formation by an α-ketoglutarate-dependent mononuclear non-haem iron enzyme
Endoperoxide formation by an α-ketoglutarate-dependent mononuclear non-haem iron enzyme
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15519
Authors: Wupeng Yan, Heng Song, Fuhang Song, Yisong Guo, Cheng-Hsuan Wu, Ampon Sae Her, Yi Pu, Shu Wang, Nathchar Naowarojna, Andrew Weitz, Michael P. Hendrich, Catherine E. Costello, Lixin Zhang, Pinghua Liu & Yan Jessie Zhang
Many peroxy-containing secondary metabolites have been isolated and shown to provide beneficial effects to human health. Yet, the mechanisms of most endoperoxide biosyntheses are not well understood. Although endoperoxides have been suggested as key reaction intermediates in several cases, the only well-characterized endoperoxide biosynthetic enzyme is prostaglandin H synthase, a haem-containing enzyme. Fumitremorgin B endoperoxidase (FtmOx1) from Aspergillus fumigatus is the first reported α-ketoglutarate-dependent mononuclear non-haem iron enzyme that can catalyse an endoperoxide formation reaction. To elucidate the mechanistic details for this unique chemical transformation, we report the X-ray crystal structures of FtmOx1 and the binary complexes it forms with either the co-substrate (α-ketoglutarate) or the substrate (fumitremorgin B). Uniquely, after α-ketoglutarate has bound to the mononuclear iron centre in a bidentate fashion, the remaining open site for oxygen binding and activation is shielded from the substrate or the solvent by a tyrosine residue (Y224). Upon replacing Y224 with alanine or phenylalanine, the FtmOx1 catalysis diverts from endoperoxide formation to the more commonly observed hydroxylation. Subsequent characterizations by a combination of stopped-flow optical absorption spectroscopy and freeze-quench electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy support the presence of transient radical species in FtmOx1 catalysis. Our results help to unravel the novel mechanism for this endoperoxide formation reaction.
Jin et al. reply
Jin et al. reply
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15547
Authors: F.-F. Jin, J. Boucharel & I.-I. Lin
replying to I.-L. Moon, S.-H. Kim & C. Wang Nature526, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature15546 (2015)Observational and modelling studies suggest that subsurface ocean temperature plays a major part in tropical cyclone intensification. In a recent Letter we reported that through
Success against blindness encourages gene therapy researchers
Success against blindness encourages gene therapy researchers
Nature 526, 7574 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/526487a
Author: Heidi Ledford
Positive news buoys a beleaguered field, but treatment benefits may fade.
The lab that knows why you’re so busy
The lab that knows why you’re so busy
Nature 526, 7574 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/526492a
Author: Helen Pearson
Why does modern life seem so hectic? An Oxford centre is trying to find answers with the world's biggest collection of time-use diaries.
Corrigendum: A basal ichthyosauriform with a short snout from the Lower Triassic of China
Corrigendum: A basal ichthyosauriform with a short snout from the Lower Triassic of China
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15533
Authors: Ryosuke Motani, Da-Yong Jiang, Guan-Bao Chen, Andrea Tintori, Olivier Rieppel, Cheng Ji & Jian-Dong Huang
Nature517, 485–488 (2015); doi:10.1038/nature13866The data matrix in the original Supplementary Data 3 of this Letter reproduced the tree topology shown in Extended Data Fig. 3 but the accompanying character descriptions did not match the coding given
Corrigendum: Influence maximization in complex networks through optimal percolation
Corrigendum: Influence maximization in complex networks through optimal percolation
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15737
Authors: Flaviano Morone & Hernán A. Makse
Nature524, 65–68 (2015); doi:10.1038/nature14604In the Acknowledgements section of this Letter, ‘ARL’ should read ‘Army Research Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-09-2-0053 (the ARL Network Science CTA)’. This has been corrected in the online versions of the paper.
Retraction: Non-blinking semiconductor nanocrystals
Retraction: Non-blinking semiconductor nanocrystals
Nature 527, 7579 (2015). doi:10.1038/nature15745
Authors: Xiaoyong Wang, Xiaofan Ren, Keith Kahen, Megan A. Hahn, Manju Rajeswaran, Sara Maccagnano-Zacher, John Silcox, George E. Cragg, Alexander L. Efros & Todd D. Krauss
Nature459, 686–689 (2009); doi:10.1038/nature08072In this Letter, we reported the unusual non-blinking characteristics of the fluorescence from individual CdZnSe/ZnSe alloyed quantum dots. However, it has recently come to our attention that similar fluorescence behaviour was seen by
Burst bubbles
Burst bubbles
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526609b
Two medical-technology companies illustrate the ups and downs of innovation.
Ghost story
Ghost story
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526610a
The problem of abandoned fishing gear and its effects on marine life deserve greater attention.
Forensic DNA evidence is not infallible
Forensic DNA evidence is not infallible
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/526611a
Author: Cynthia M. Cale
As DNA analysis techniques become more sensitive, we must be careful to reassess the probabilities of error, argues Cynthia M. Cale.
Zoology: Bright light as sex signal
Zoology: Bright light as sex signal
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526612a
Brighter female glow-worms lay more eggs than their dim rivals and are more attractive to potential nocturnal mates.Juhani Hopkins at the University of Oulu in Finland and his colleagues allowed 26 female glow-worms (Lampyris noctiluca; pictured) to mate in the lab.
Neuroscience: Alzheimer's clue from spatial test
Neuroscience: Alzheimer's clue from spatial test
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526612b
Young adults who are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease show abnormal function in a part of the brain involved in spatial navigation.Nikolai Axmacher at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and his colleagues used neuroimaging to measure the functioning of the 'grid-cell' system
Astronomy: Red-giant rogue in Andromeda
Astronomy: Red-giant rogue in Andromeda
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526612c
Astronomers have spotted a giant 'runaway star' speeding through the Andromeda galaxy; the first of its kind seen outside the Milky Way.Whereas most stars flow together around the centre of their galaxy, some, known as runaways, travel at different directions and speeds to their
Materials: Iron skin senses the softest touch
Materials: Iron skin senses the softest touch
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526612d
An iron-based artificial skin can sense the lightest touch.Ahmed Alfadhel and Jürgen Kosel at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, made a tactile sensor by embedding iron nanowires in hair-like structures called cilia, made of a polymer called
Genomics: Gene regulation predates animals
Genomics: Gene regulation predates animals
Nature 526, 7575 (2015). doi:10.1038/526612e
The oldest ancestor of animal life used the same tricks that modern humans do to turn genes on and off.Alex de Mendoza at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, Spain, and his colleagues studied gene regulation in the fungus-like single-celled organism Creolimax fragrantissima