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	1. 4456 Accesses	Question and Answer Q&A: 'Toxic' effects of sugar: should we be afraid of fructose? Luc Tappy BMC Biology 2012, 10:42 (21 May 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Before the colonial era of sugar plantations we consumed, on average, about 15-fold less fructose than we do today. Luc Tappy explains, in question and answer format, the special features of fructose metabolism and discusses the evidence that high fructose intake has contributed to the current epidemic of obesity and metabolic disease.
	2. 3112 Accesses	Comment Mending walls Gregory A Petsko BMC Biology 2012, 10:41 (11 May 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary The real topic of Gregory Petsko's Comment in our Metabolism diet and disease series is not, despite its title, mending walls, but patterns of comorbidity that argue for cross-disciplinary research: obesity and cancer are linked, for example, but apparently not if you are also schizophrenic.
	3. 2813 Accesses	Commentary A never ending race for new and improved fluorescent proteins Alexander M Jones, David W Ehrhardt, Wolf B Frommer BMC Biology 2012, 10:39 (3 May 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Visualizing proteins in plants requires stable expression of fluorescent proteins, with brightness able to overcome the autofluorescence of chlorophyll. Wolf Frommer and colleagues provide a broad overview of what makes an optimal fluorophore and evaluate the virtues of a novel orange fluorescent protein described recently in BMC Biotechnology.
	4. 2517 Accesses	Research article Macondo crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disrupts specific developmental processes during zebrafish embryogenesis T Yvanka de Soysa, Allison Ulrich, Timo Friedrich, Danielle Pite, Shannon L Compton, Deborah Ok, Rebecca L Bernardos, Gerald B Downes, Shizuka Hsieh, Rachael Stein, M Caterina Lagdameo, Katherine Halvorsen, Lydia-Rose Kesich, Michael JF Barresi BMC Biology 2012, 10:40 (4 May 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
	5. 2372 Accesses	Opinion Evolving a photosynthetic organelle Takuro Nakayama, John M Archibald BMC Biology 2012, 10:35 (24 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary The photosynthetic chromatophore of the amoeba Paulinella has a recent origin - at least in evolutionary terms. Nakayama and Archibald discuss how this makes it an ideal model for studying how photosynthetic organelles arise and evolve.
	6. 1852 Accesses	Research article Canalization of the evolutionary trajectory of the human influenza virus Trevor Bedford, Andrew Rambaut, Mercedes Pascual BMC Biology 2012, 10:38 (30 April 2012) Abstract \| Provisional PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary The influenza virus evolves rapidly, but this doesn't usually lead to a genetically diverse population as one might expect. A new model suggests how short-term selection to avoid human immune responses could cause this long-term lack of diversity.
	7. 1790 Accesses	Review Clamp loader ATPases and the evolution of DNA replication machinery Brian A Kelch, Debora L Makino, Mike O'Donnell, John Kuriyan BMC Biology 2012, 10:34 (20 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary The speed of DNA replication depends on the sliding clamp which encircles the DNA and holds the polymerase in place. Mike O'Donnell, John Kuriyan and colleagues review the growing understanding of the conformational rearrangements whereby the clamp loader opens the clamp and screws it on to the DNA throughout DNA synthesis.
	8. 1648 Accesses	Review Molecular dynamics simulations and drug discovery Jacob D Durrant, J Andrew McCammon BMC Biology 2011, 9:71 (28 October 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary Modeling the movements of atoms within macromolecules can predict their conformational flexibility to inform drug discovery. Jacob Durrant and Andrew McCammon explain how this is done in molecular dynamics simulations, reviewing both the successes and current limitations of the approach.
	9. 1304 Accesses	Research article BMP2 and mechanical loading cooperatively regulate immediate early signalling events in the BMP pathway Jessica Kopf, Ansgar Petersen, Georg N Duda, Petra Knaus BMC Biology 2012, 10:37 (30 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
	10. 1263 Accesses	Question and Answer Q&A: What is the Golgi apparatus, and why are we asking? Sean Munro BMC Biology 2011, 9:63 (30 September 2011) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| 2 comments \| Editor’s summary Sean Munro explains in Q&A format why the Golgi apparatus remains a gently seething cauldron of controversy more than 120 years after its discovery.
	11. 1206 Accesses	Forum What does the concept of the stem cell niche really mean today? Arthur D Lander, Judith Kimble, Hans Clevers, Elaine Fuchs, Didier Montarras, Margaret Buckingham, Anne L Calof, Andreas Trumpp, Thordur Oskarsson BMC Biology 2012, 10:19 (9 March 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary How do current researchers view the stem cell niche? Eight experts from different fields provide their perspective, and ask how stem cells evolve in such an environment, launching a new Forum article type within the cross-journal collection on stem cells.
	12. 1145 Accesses	Research article MAVS ubiquitination by the E3 ligase TRIM25 and degradation by the proteasome is involved in type I Interferon production after activation of the antiviral RIG-I-Like receptors Celine Castanier, Naima Zemirli, Alain Portier, Dominique Garcin, Nicolas Bidere, Aime Vazquez, Damien Arnoult BMC Biology 2012, 10:44 (24 May 2012) Abstract \| Provisional PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary A number of proteins are now known to sense viral infection in cells and signal antiviral responses. Studies by Damien Arnoult and colleagues suggest that the interferon response involves the sequential assembly and proteasomal dissolution of a signalling complex at the mitochondrial surface.
	13. 1050 Accesses	Methodology article Advances in establishment and analysis of three-dimensional tumor spheroid-based functional assays for target validation and drug evaluation Maria Vinci, Sharon Gowan, Frances Boxall, Lisa Patterson, Miriam Zimmermann, William Court, Cara Lomas, Marta Mendiola, David Hardisson, Suzanne A Eccles BMC Biology 2012, 10:29 (22 March 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary A high throughput method to assay for the growth, invasiveness and angiogenic activity of tumor cells grown in 3-dimensions is validated by testing known cancer drugs, and offers a tool-kit for testing new ones.
	14. 1046 Accesses	Commentary Constrained evolution drives limited influenza diversity Paul G Thomas, Tomer Hertz BMC Biology 2012, 10:43 (21 May 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
	15. 930 Accesses	Review Microarrays, deep sequencing and the true measure of the transcriptome John H Malone, Brian Oliver BMC Biology 2011, 9:34 (31 May 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Global measures of gene expression can now be extracted either from microarrays or from RNA-seq, which do not always seem to give the same answer. Malone and Oliver review the advantages and limitations of each and conclude that, with some important exceptions, they tell the same story.
	16. 916 Accesses	Research article UBXN7 docks on neddylated cullin complexes using its UIM motif and causes HIF1α accumulation Susanne Bandau, Axel Knebel, Zoe O Gage, Nicola T Wood, Gabriela Alexandru BMC Biology 2012, 10:36 (26 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary p97 is a AAA+ ATPase that extracts proteins from membranes and protein complexes for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. Gabriela Alexandru and colleagues suggest how its interaction with the ubiquitinating complex CUL2 may regulate HIF1alpha degradation in normoxia.
	17. 772 Accesses	Question and Answer Q&A: What is a pathogen? A question that begs the point Liise-anne Pirofski, Arturo Casadevall BMC Biology 2012, 10:6 (31 January 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| 1 comment \| Editor’s summary Arturo Casadevall and Liise-anne Pirofski explain in Q&A format the emergent properties of microbial pathogenesis that make the question impossible to answer, and the emergence of new pathogens almost impossible to predict.
	18. 674 Accesses	Question and Answer Q&A: ChIP-seq technologies and the study of gene regulation Edison T Liu, Sebastian Pott, Mikael Huss BMC Biology 2010, 8:56 (14 May 2010) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Edison Liu and colleagues explain in Q&A format how ChIP-seq technology allows investigation of transcriptional regulation on a genomic scale, and what is next.
	19. 619 Accesses	Research article The first metazoa living in permanently anoxic conditions Roberto Danovaro, Antonio Dell'Anno, Antonio Pusceddu, Cristina Gambi, Iben Heiner, Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen BMC Biology 2010, 8:30 (6 April 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| 2 comments \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary An expedition to a deep sea hypersaline anoxic basin in the Mediterranean has discovered the first multicellular animals that live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.
	20. 566 Accesses	Methodology article Use of the viral 2A peptide for bicistronic expression in transgenic mice Georgios Trichas, Jo Begbie, Shankar Srinivas BMC Biology 2008, 6:40 (15 September 2008) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary Germline transmission of a bicistronic vector using the 2A peptide to allow co-translational cleavage is stable in mice and shows no developmental side-effects, giving a superior alternative to the internal ribosomal entry site for expressing multiple transgenes.
	21. 559 Accesses	Research article Evidence that a West-East admixed population lived in the Tarim Basin as early as the early Bronze Age Chunxiang Li, Hongjie Li, Yinqiu Cui, Chengzhi Xie, Dawei Cai, Wenying Li, Victor H Mair, Zhi Xu, Quanchao Zhang, Idelisi Abuduresule, Li Jin, Hong Zhu, Hui Zhou BMC Biology 2010, 8:15 (17 February 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Genetic analysis of human remains from the Tarim Basin in China reveals that the Xiaohe people comprised an admixture of populations originating from both the East and the West dating from the early Bronze Age.
	22. 552 Accesses	Research article Monoaminergic modulation of photoreception in ascidian: Evidence for a proto-hypothalamo-retinal territory Florian Razy-Krajka, Euan Brown, Takeo Horie, Jacques Callebert, Yasunori Sasakura, Jean-Stephane Joly, Takehiro Kusakabe, Philippe Vernier BMC Biology 2012, 10:45 (29 May 2012) Abstract \| Provisional PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary A string of remarkable similarities between dopamine-synthesizing cells that modulate the photic responses of ascidian larvae, and amacrine cells of the vertebrate retina, suggests a common evolutionary origin from ancestral cells in the photoreceptive field of the anterior neural tube of chordates.
	23. 524 Accesses	Research article Extensive population genetic structure in the giraffe David M Brown, Rick A Brenneman, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, John P Pollinger, Borja Milá, Nicholas J Georgiadis, Edward E Louis, Gregory F Grether, David K Jacobs, Robert K Wayne BMC Biology 2007, 5:57 (21 December 2007) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary Giraffes can travel widely but have recently been found to comprise eleven genetically distinct populations with little interbreeding, a finding which is unprecedented among large African mammals with significant implications for giraffe conservation management.
	24. 515 Accesses	Research article Astrocytes convert network excitation to tonic inhibition of neurons László Héja, Gabriella Nyitrai, Orsolya Kékesi, Árpád Dobolyi, Pál Szabó, Richárd Fiáth, István Ulbert, Borbála Pál-Szenthe, Miklós Palkovits, Julianna Kardos BMC Biology 2012, 10:26 (15 March 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary By mopping up excess glutamate released by excited neurons, and coupling this to export of endogenously synthesized GABA, astrocytes provide an adjustable and local feedback inhibition of network excitation.
	25. 446 Accesses	Commentary Altered metabolism in cancer Jason W Locasale, Lewis C Cantley BMC Biology 2010, 8:88 (25 June 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Cancer cells have metabolic requirements that differ from those of normal cells. Locasale and Cantley discuss how they reconfigure metabolic pathway fluxes to support cell-autonomous proliferation.