New gene functions in megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation

Platelets are the second most abundant cell type in blood and are essential for maintaining haemostasis. Their count and volume are tightly controlled within narrow physiological ranges, but there is only limited understanding of the molecular processes controlling both traits. Here we carried out a high-powered meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in up to 66,867 individuals of European ancestry, followed by extensive biological and functional assessment. We identified 68 genomic loci reliably associated with platelet count and volume mapping to established and putative novel regulators of megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation. These genes show megakaryocyte-specific gene expression patterns and extensive network connectivity. Using gene silencing in Danio rerio and Drosophila melanogaster, we identified 11 of the genes as novel regulators of blood cell formation. Taken together, our findings advance understanding of novel gene functions controlling fate-determining events during megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation, providing a new example of successful translation of GWAS to function.     

大陆科学钻探 十年的进展与未来的挑战

科学钻探是现代地球科学研究中一个不可或缺的工具，因为它是直接获得地球深部过程信息的唯一来源，对于我们更好地认识了解我们赖以生存的星球、解决紧迫的社会经济问题具有关键性的作用。国际大陆科学钻探计划（ICDP）始于1996年，2005年在德国波茨坦召开了第二届国际大陆钻探会议。     

Upper Palaeolithic infant burials

Decorations on the bodies of newborns indicate that they were probably important in their community. Several adult graves from the Stone Age (Upper Palaeolithic period) have been found but child burials seem to be rare, which has prompted discussion about whether this apparently different treatment of infants could be significant. Here we describe two recently discovered infant burials from this period at Krems-Wachtberg in Lower Austria, in which the bodies were covered with red ochre and decorated with ornaments and were therefore probably ritually buried. These findings indicate that even newborns were considered to be full members of these hunter-gatherer communities about 27,000 years ago.     

Nitrogen pretreatment period required for complete elimination of the oxygen effect in X-rayedDrosophila embryos

Zusammenfassung Zur vollständigen Ausschaltung des Sauerstoff-Effektes bei der Bestrahlung vonDrosophila-Embryonen genügt eine 15 Sekunden dauernde Vorbehandlung mit Stickstoff.     

Über Waterstons mechanisches Wärmeäquivalent

Ohne Zusammenfassung Vorgelegt von S. Flügge     

Zur Kenntnis des Korkes

Ohne Zusammenfassung