ROS in Nature 2016: Part I

Abstract

Nature (along with its several sister journals) is among the most highly influential journals that publish cutting edge scientific findings in diverse fields, including biomedical sciences. The purpose of the “ROS in Nature” series is to provide a platform to introduce the high profile research discoveries related to the molecular and cell biology of reactive oxygen species (ROS) published in Nature as well as some of its sister journals, including Nature Medicine, Nature Genetics, and Nature Communications. This “ROS in Nature 2016: Part I” paper highlights the major findings relevant to ROS bioscience, and these findings are reported in four articles in Nature over the past three months (January 1, 2016–March 31, 2016). The major findings from these articles include: (1) a novel role for mitochondrial ROS in regulating thermogenesis and energy expenditure in brown and beige fat; (2) an unexpected linkage between lipid dysfunction and impaired anticancer immunosurveillance, and an essential role for mitochondria-derived ROS in this linkage; (3) autophagy as a decisive stem–cell–fate regulator and an important role for cellular (likely mitochondria-derived) ROS in this process; and finally (4) the involvement of cellular (likely mitochondria-derived) ROS in GCN2-regulated gut inflammation. The elegant studies reported in the four Nature articles attest to the continued excitement about deciphering the detailed biochemistry and cell biology of ROS, species that result from the utilization of molecular oxygen in aerobic organisms. It is hoped that introducing such high profile research discoveries on ROS would help point to the new directions for innovative research in this rapidly evolving area of bioscience.