Breaking Paper--Control of Cell Size

On my desk today? Sims et al. (2009) PDGF/VEGF signalling controls cell size in Drosophila. Genome Biology. PubMed ID 19216764.  As of this posting, abstract viewable on-line and free full text downloadable as provisional PDF.

The paper focuses on cell size-related results from a genome-wide screen performed at the DRSC (see also Boutros et al. 2004 Science 303:832-835). 

Protocol Notes:  Screen done with S2R+ cells. Image data were put through an automated image analysis to determine average cell size (total monolayer cell area divided by the number of DAPI-positive nuclei counts). With by-eye follow up to check for phenotypes like cell adhesion effects that were not of interest for this study but might also score as positives. Network analysis using FLIGHT. Hit validation using two independent amplicons and a related but different image-based analysis.