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Edited by Stella Hurtley

SCIENCE COMMUNITY that are usually clustered PROTEIN DESIGN IMMUNE ENGINEERING
The whys and in “defense islands” in their Membrane protein Engineering cytokine-
genomes. Doron et al. took
wherefores of SciSci advantage of this property to oligomers by design receptor pairs
The science of science (SciSci) map microbial defense sys- In recent years, soluble protein Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an
is based on a transdisciplinary tems systematically (see the design has achieved successes important cytokine that helps
approach that uses large data Perspective by Kim). Candidate such as artificial enzymes and T cells destroy tumors and
sets to study the mechanisms immune systems were then large protein cages. Membrane virus-infected cells. IL-2 has
underlying the doing of sci- experimentally validated for proteins present a considerable great therapeutic promise
ence—from the choice of a their activities. Like well-known design challenge, but here too but is limited by toxic side
research problem to career defense arsenals such as restric- there have been advances, effects and its capacity to both
trajectories and progress within tion-modification and CRISPR including the design of a zinc- activate and repress immune
a field. In a Review, Fortunato et systems, these additional transporting tetramer. Lu et responses. Sockolosky et al.
al. explain that the underlying immune systems now require al. report the design of stable set out to improve IL-2–based
rationale is that with a deeper mechanistic investigation and transmembrane monomers, immunotherapy by engineer-
understanding of the precur- could potentially be engineered homodimers, trimers, and ing synthetic IL-2–receptor
sors of impactful science, it will into useful molecular tools in the tetramers with up to eight mem- pairs (i.e., IL-2 and its receptor,
be possible to develop systems future. —SYM brane-spanning regions in an IL-2R) (see the Perspective by
and policies that improve each Science, this issue p. 1008; oligomer. The designed proteins Mackall). Engineered complexes
scientist’s ability to succeed see also p. 993 adopted the target oligomeriza- transmitted IL-2 signals but only
and enhance the prospects of tion state and localized to the interacted with each other and
science as a whole. —BJ predicted cellular membranes, not with endogenous IL-2/IL-2R.
Science, this issue p. 1007 OPTICS and crystal structures of the Treatment of mice with IL-2
Exploring photonic designed dimer and tetramer improved the ability of engi-
reflected the design models. neered T cells to reject tumors
topology
NEUROSCIENCE —VV with no obvious side effects. This
How to select and shape Scattering topological effects Science, this issue p. 1042 type of approach may provide a
are being explored in a variety of way to mitigate toxicities associ-
neural activity electronic and optical materials ated with some cytokine-based
When we learn a new skill systems owing to their robust- NEUROIMMUNOLOGY immunotherapies. —PNK
or task, our movements are ness against defects (see the An off switch for helminth Science, this issue p. 1037;
reinforced and shaped. Learning Perspective by Özdemir). Yang see also p. 990
occurs because the neural activ- et al. designed and fabricated immunity
ity patterns in the movement an ideal optical analog of a Group 2 innate lymphoid cells
control–related brain regions three-dimensional Weyl system. (ILC2s) are involved in responses ECOLOGY
that are rewarded are repeated. Angular transmission measure- to helminths, viruses, and Fostering the resilience
But how does this reinforcement ments revealed four Weyl points allergens. Moriyama et al. found
work? Athalye et al. developed a at the same energy, as well as that ILC2s interact with the of ecosystems
closed-loop self-stimulation par- the signature helicoidal arcs nervous system to modulate What makes an ecosystem
adigm in which a target motor associated with such an exotic helminth immunity. ILC2s from resilient to environmental
cortical activity pattern resulted topological system. Zhou et the small intestine expressed the change? Answering this ques-
in the optogenetic stimulation al. theoretically proposed and b -adrenergic receptor (b AR), tion is increasingly important
2 2
of dopaminergic neurons. experimentally demonstrated which normally interacts with as climate change and other
With training, mice learned to the formation of a topologically the neurotransmitter epineph- stressors affect ecosystems
reenter specific neuronal activity protected bulk Fermi arc. They rine. Inactivating b AR resulted around the world. But, as Willis
2
patterns, which triggered self- attributed the formation of the in lower helminth burden and et al. explain in a Perspective,
stimulation and shaped their arc to the topological nature of more ILC2s, eosinophils, and identifying resilient ecosystems
neural activity to be closer to the paired exceptional points (points type 2 cytokine production in and determining the factors
target pattern. —PRS at which gain and loss in the mice. Conversely, treatment of behind their resilience can be
Science, this issue p. 1024 system are matched). Photonic helminth-infected mice with a difficult. Focusing on tropical
crystals may provide a power- b AR agonist enhanced worm ecosystems, the authors outline
2
ful platform for studying exotic burden and reduced proliferation the many biotic and abiotic
MICROBIOLOGY properties of topological elec- of ILC2s. Thus, b AR negatively factors contributing to resilience
2
Maps of defense arsenals tronic systems and may also be regulates ILC2-driven protective and highlight recent studies
used to develop optical devices immunity. —PNK that provide pointers for future
in microbial genomes that exploit topological proper- Science, this issue p. 1056 research and conservation
To survive the attack of foreign ties of light-matter interactions. aimed at fostering resilience.
invaders such as viruses and —ISO In another Perspective, Darling
plasmids, bacteria and archaea Science, this issue p. 1013, p. 1009; and Côté discuss whether
fight back with immune systems see also p. 995 coral reef ecosystems might be

1006-B 2 MARCH 2018 • VOL 359 ISSUE 6379 sciencemag.org SCIENCE
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