To fulfill systems biology’s promise of providing fundamental new insights will require the development of quantitative and predictive models of whole cells. In this issue, Karr et al. present the first integrated and dynamic computational model of a bacterium that accounts for all of its components and their interactions.

Eugene Grishin and Sergei Lukyanov have been elected full members of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Receptor tyrosine kinases play a key role in regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as of cell migration and metabolism. Until now, it was thought that all ligands of these receptors are of protein or peptide nature. However, a recent study conducted by a group of IBCh RAS researchers led by Dr. Alexander Petrenko identified a receptor tyrosine kinase that works as a sensor of mildly alkaline media, i.e. it activates in response to increase in concentration of extracellular hydroxyl-anions. Notably, this receptor has previously been considered as orphan with its ligand not found.