The journal is retracting J. Cell Sci. (2014) 127, 3079-3093 (doi:10.1242/jcs.144816).
Issues initially raised on PubPeer and by our own subsequent analysis suggest that there are potential duplications in several western blots in Figs 1, 4, 5 and 6. Journal of Cell Science contacted Dr Bergamaschi, the corresponding author, to request the original full blots, but the data are no longer available.
An investigation by the Dean for Research and Research Impact of the Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, stated:
‘The overall conclusion is that duplication of images is less likely for the majority detected by your screening: equally, I am fully aware that without the original images duplication cannot completely excluded. However, Queen Mary University of London acknowledge the authors' transparency and openness throughout this process. The authors have the full support of QMUL.’
Owing to the five remaining unresolved issues with these data and the fact that the original data are no longer available, the journal has lost confidence in the reliability of the results presented in this article and is therefore retracting the paper.
All authors were contacted and do not agree with this retraction.
