News & Views in 2012

Recent preclinical studies suggest that inhibitors of histone methyltransferases represent promising drug candidates for cancer therapy.

Two studies describe progress in designing nanopores capable of detecting single protein molecules.

Three high-throughput methods allow regulatory sequences to be analyzed at single-nucleotide resolution in living cells.

Computational design and high-throughput mutational scanning yield proteins with subnanomolar affinities for influenza hemagglutinin.

The discovery of an efficient mechanism of homologous recombination between two linear DNA substrates provides a new method for direct cloning.

Characterization of tumor heterogeneity at the sequence level presents new challenges and opportunities for targeted therapies.

A tiny, locked box made of DNA opens up to release drug molecules in the presence of target cells.

Major hurdles in the quest to sequence DNA with biological nanopores have now been overcome.

Two head-to-head comparisons of genome assembly methods highlight the best performers and outstanding problems.

A cancer vaccine is streamlined by identifying a small set of potent immunogens in a tumor cDNA library.

A comprehensive study of ligand binding to the human PARP family of proteins reveals the molecular basis of inhibitor selectivity and promiscuity.

An improved method for analyzing deep RNA sequencing data provides a comprehensive view of RNA editing sites.

When human blastocysts are cultured in vitro to derive embryonic stem cells, they undergo profound molecular changes that alter their identity.

Optimized AAV vectors encoding broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV show promise in mice.

A new computational strategy facilitates de novo design of discontinuous epitopes on protein scaffolds.

A method for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into several subtypes of smooth muscle cell should aid the study and treatment of vascular disease.

An additional layer of RNA regulation in which RNAs encoded by genes and pseudogenes compete for microRNAs could offer new opportunities for oligonucleotide therapeutics.

A differentiation protocol guided by developmental principles produces more-authentic dopaminergic neurons for transplantation in patients.

A new computational approach gives us the best chance at understanding how genomes are arranged in three-dimensional space and what that may mean for their function.