(August 3rd, 2010) Even Science isn’t always right! A paper published by the journal last year is on the brink of being retracted after investigations revealed several flaws.
Back in January, Lab Times reported on a story about some “Strange Chemistry” in a paper published by Science. In “Reactome Array: Forging a Link Between Metabolome and Genome”, labs led by Manuel Ferrer from the Institute of Catalysis of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain and Peter Golyshin, back then at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany, supposedly developed a fantastic, new tool to reveal the entire enzyme activity in a cell.
When the paper was published, a wave of excitement went through the whole scientific community. This excitement, however, only lasted until some chemically inclined researchers took a closer look at the supplementary data describing the creation of all the chemicals needed. Their assessment was withering, “Impossible reactions” disputed some and “The chemistry just doesn’t make sense,” exclaimed others.
These doubts led Science editor-in-chief Bruce Alberts to issue an “editorial expression of concern” and demand extensive investigations in the labs of the two leading scientists in Madrid and Braunschweig. Science itself got into hot water for not assigning reviewers with a chemical background, who certainly would’ve noticed any inconsistencies before publication was approved.
Now, months of investigations have come to an end and a final verdict has been reached. The investigating committee recommend that the paper be retracted. Amongst other things, they criticise the lack of proper controls. Both authors were not available for comment when Nature News wanted to hear their side of the story. But back in January, Ferrer already admitted to having made “small errors”, however, he still stood firmly by his array.
A decision on the terminal fate of the paper is still to be expected by Science but should be out imminently. And the question is still open as to whether the whole case has consequences for the scientists involved; this will be settled at a meeting in August. For everyone else, scientific life has to go on without this once promising new research tool. And it will.
Kathleen Gransalke