Research Highlights

Colon stem cells expressing the surface markers NOX1 and NPY1R can give rise to colon cancer in mice.

Acute kidney injury induces somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations that impair energy metabolism and the resilience of kidney tissue to following injuries.

Independently of its nuclear DNA-binding activity, the transcription factor PXR has a cytoplasmic function: it binds to mRNAs and promotes their stability.

Paul et al. demonstrate that entry into the cell cycle from quiescence involves a transient, partial inactivation of the APC/C ubiquitin ligase, which halts the degradation of glycolysis enzymes and ensures sufficient ATP production for cell division.

This study reports the successful reprogramming of human blood cells to pluripotent stem cells using small molecules.

H3.14, a histone variant of unknown role, has a dual transcriptional function in the abiotic stress response in plants: activation of stress response genes and inhibition of growth genes.

Kleptosomes are specialized organelles harbouring photosynthetically active chloroplasts that are taken up by so-called ‘solar-powered’ sea slugs.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce the multimerization of Aux/IAA transcriptional repressors, and this ROS–auxin signalling connection functions as a rapid adaptive response to water deficit, inducing a temporary stop in root growth.

Adequate levels of nucleotides are essential to ensure genetic stability of proliferating cells. A study finds gap-junction-mediated transport of nucleotides in specific tissues of Drosophila.

Nucleosomes — the basic unit of chromatin architecture — have intrinsic biophysical features of large-scale genome organization.

Repair of DNA double-strand breaks requires chromatin opening; however, the mechanisms involved were unclear. This work shows that sequential histone deamidation and acetylation modifications induce chromatin decompaction by reducing positive charge at the DNA–nucleosome interface.

A distinct population of adipose progenitor cells contributes to the accumulation of visceral white adipose tissue in middle-aged male mice.

The authors of a new study characterize blebbisomes, large extracellular vesicles that contain functional mitochondria and other organelles and have significant roles in inter-cellular communication and the tumour microenvironment.

This study shows that zotatifin selectively inhibits the translation of prostate cancer oncogene transcripts by restructuring their 5′ untranslated regions. In mice, this agent reversed treatment resistance, which led to improved survival.

Subunits of mitochondrial and cytosolic ribosomes need to be targeted to their correction cellular location. A study identified a mitochondrial avoidance segment in a eukaryotic cytosolic ribosome subunit that prevents its mislocalization to mitochondria.

Synonymous mutations can promote tumorigenesis by perturbing m⁶A modification of tumour suppressor mRNAs.

This study uncovered how extracellular vesicles carrying gasdermin D pores propagate pyroptosis between cells, exacerbating inflammation.

Centromeres are silenced in aged cells by the epigenetic downregulation of centromere transcription.

This study provides a framework to predict whether protein complexes assemble co- or post-translationally based solely on protein structures.

A calcium-dependent pathway induces stress granule formation and promotes cell survival following lysosomal damage.