01/2018 - Structural basis of RNA polymerase III transcription initiation
RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcribes essential non-coding RNAs, including the entire pool of transfer RNAs, the 5S ribosomal RNA and the U6 spliceosomal RNA, and is often deregulated in cancer cells. The initiation of gene transcription by Pol III requires the activity of the transcription factor TFIIIB to form a transcriptionally active Pol III preinitiation […]
11/2017 - On Economic Complexity and the Fitness of Nations
Complex economic systems can often be described by a network, with nodes representing economic entities and edges their interdependencies, while network centrality is often a good indicator of importance. Recent publications have implemented a nonlinear iterative Fitness-Complexity (FC) algorithm to measure centrality in a bipartite trade network, which aims to represent the ‘Fitness’ of national […]
10/2017 - Microtubule dynamics: 50 years after the discovery of tubulin and still going strong
The Minisymposium “Microtubule Dynamics” featured speakers ranging from a founding member of the microtubule field to graduate students embarking on their scientific journeys. The session spanned a broad range of topics, from fundamental questions about the structure and dynamics of microtubules, to the behavior of molecular motors in reconstituted systems, to the therapeutic potential of […]
08/2017 - New tricks for an old dog: Brf2-dependent RNA Polymerase III transcription in oxidative stress and cancer
Here, we discuss the role of Brf2, an RNA Polymerase III core transcription factor, as a master switch of the oxidative stress response. We highlight the interplay of Brf2 with the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, as well as the role of Brf2 in cancer and other possible regulations.