Simple epithelial repair is mediated by the contraction of an actomyosin cable and cellular rearrangements at the wound edge. Carvalho et al. show that occluding junctions are required for epithelial repair by regulating these cellular rearrangements and tissue mechanical properties.

Louka et al. describe three conserved proteins that regulate the positions of microtubule ends near the tips of cilia. Mutations in two of these proteins cause a brain malformation, Joubert syndrome. Thus, microtubule ends in cilia may play a role in the pathology of Joubert syndrome.

Mallik et al. identify Xrp1 as a nuclear chromatin-binding protein involved in gene expression regulation that mediates phenotypes induced by loss of function of cabeza (caz), the Drosophila melanogaster orthologue of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) protein FUS. Knockdown of Xrp1 in motor neurons rescues phenotypes induced by ALS-mutant FUS.