Reverse genetics: Unlocking the secrets of negative sense RNA viral pathogens

Plant genetics: Unlocking the secrets of self-incompatibility

At last, clear evidence has been obtained, from transformation of the pollen incompatibility reaction of Brassica, showing that angiosperm self-incompatibility involves separate genes for the pollen and pistil incompatibility recognition processes.

Reverse genetics of negative-strand RNA viruses: closing the circle.

The study of viruses and their interactions with host cells and organisms has benefited greatly from the ability to engineer specific mutations into viral genomes, a technique known as reverse genetics. Genome manipulations of DNA viruses, either by transfecting cells with plasmids encoding the viral genome (1) or by heterologous recombination of plasmids bearing viral sequences with the virus ...

Unlocking the secrets of longevity genes.

Micropuncture: unlocking the secrets of renal function.

This essay looks at the historical significance of five APS classic papers that are freely available online: Wearn JT and Richards AN. Observations on the composition of glomerular urine, with particular reference to the problem of reabsorption in the renal tubules. Am J Physiol 71: 209-227, 1924 (http://ajplegacy.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/71/1/209). Richards AN and Walker AM. Methods of colle...

Unlocking the secrets of cell signaling.

My scientific life has been spent trying to understand how cells communicate with each other. This interest in cell signaling began with studies on the control of fluid secretion by an insect salivary gland, and the subsequent quest led to the discovery of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and its role in calcium signaling, which effectively divided my scientific career into two distinct parts. The ...