The partition-proficient mini-F plasmid pXX325 was stably maintained in the mukB null mutant, which is defective in chromosome partitioning into the two daughter cells. In the null mutant, the plasmid was partitioned into both nucleate and anucleate daughter cells, independently of host chromosomes.

Control of microtubule nucleation is important for many microtubule dependent processes in cells. Traditionally, research has focused on nucleation of microtubules from centrosomes. However, it is clear that microtubules can nucleate from non-centrosome dependent sites. In this review we discuss the consequences of non-centrosome dependent microtubule nucleation for formation of microtubule pat...

Competing models have been proposed for actin filament nucleation by the bacterial proteins VopL/F. In this issue, Burke et al. (2017. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201608104) use direct observation to demonstrate that VopL/F bind the barbed and pointed ends of actin filaments but only nucleate new filaments from the pointed end.

Centrosome- and chromatin-based microtubule nucleation pathways have been implicated in spindle assembly. Using total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy and Xenopus egg extracts, Petry et al. demonstrate that new microtubules can also nucleate and branch out from existing ones in animal cells.

We have performed atomic simulations of crack propagation along a weak interface joining two harmonic crystals. The simulations show that a mode II shear dominated crack can accelerate to the Rayleigh wave speed and then nucleate an intersonic daughter that travels at the longitudinal wave speed. This contradicts the general belief that a crack can travel no faster than the Rayleigh speed.

A characteristic length scale and a time scale are proposed to describe the dynamic growth and departure process of bubbles. A correlation between bubble departure diameter and bubble growth time is established thereby, and a predication formula for bubble departure diameter is suggested by considering the analogue between nucleate boiling and forced convection. # 1999 Published by Elsevier Sci...

The early stages of gas evolution during electrolytic hydrogen production on Au electrodes are characterized by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that reaction product molecules initially dissolve into solution and then nucleate near, but not on, the electrodes. The gas subsequently wets the electrodes and its successive evolution is governed by triple phase boun...

Doublecortin (DCX), a microtubule-associated protein, is essential for neuronal migration, although a clear mechanistic understanding of this requirement remains elusive. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Bechstedt and Brouhard (2012) report that DCX relies on cooperative binding and an affinity for growing microtubule ends to nucleate and stabilize 13-protofilament microtubules.

S U M M A R Y We investigate the seismic velocity contrast across the San Andreas fault (SAF) in the Parkfield area using fault zone head waves (FZHW) that propagate along the bimaterial fault interface and direct P waves. We systematically analyse large data sets of near-fault waveforms recorded by several seismic networks over the period 1984–2005. Clear FZHW are observed at many stations on ...

Nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficients may be strongly reduced by scale formation, even for conditions where the bulk foulant concentration is well below the saturation concentration. Due to the mechanism of micro-layer evaporation, the local concentration at the heat transfer surface can be considerably increased, causing the formation of scale and changes in bubble frequency and bubble d...