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Mouse induced pluripotent stem cells derived from differentiated fibroblasts could be converted from male (XY) to female (XX), resulting in cells that could form oocytes and give rise to offspring after fertilization.

Risk variants for ALS and FTD in the synaptic gene UNC13A increase the expression of an UNC13A cryptic exon in neurons with TDP-43 depletion.

Genomes and transcriptomes of five distinct lineages of African cichlids, a textbook example of adaptive radiation, have been sequenced and analysed to reveal that many types of molecular changes contributed to rapid evolution, and that standing variation accumulated during periods of relaxed selection may have primed subsequent diversification.

The Progressive Cactus program can create reference-free alignments of hundreds of large vertebrate genomes efficiently, and is used for the alignment of more than 600 amniote genomes.

The Vertebrate Genome Project has used an optimized pipeline to generate high-quality genome assemblies for sixteen species (representing all major vertebrate classes), which have led to new biological insights.

New offshore observations in the Guerrero seismic gap discovered shallow slow earthquakes, which suggest that a portion of the plate interface undergoes stable slip. This may explain the long return period of large earthquakes and why have previous large earthquakes not propagated into the gap.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in many physiological processes and are targets of intense drug discovery research. Here, the authors describe llama-derived nanobodies that allosterically modulate rhodopsin, a prototypical GPCR.

A reference genome sequence for threespine sticklebacks, and re-sequencing of 20 additional world-wide populations, reveals loci used repeatedly during vertebrate evolution; multiple chromosome inversions contribute to marine-freshwater divergence, and regulatory variants predominate over coding variants in this classic example of adaptive evolution in natural environments.

Genome sequencing and phylogenomic analysis show that the lungfish, not the coelacanth, is the closest living relative of tetrapods, that coelacanth protein-coding genes are more slowly evolving than those of tetrapods and lungfish, and that the genes and regulatory elements that underwent changes during the vertebrate transition to land reflect adaptation to a new environment.

An international consortium reports the genomic sequence for ten Drosophila species, and compares them to two other previously published Drosophila species. These data are invaluable for drawing evolutionary conclusions across an entire phylogeny of species at once.

The dog is a unique model of human complex disease, and its remarkable population history makes trait mapping especially powerful. This article reviews the mapping strategies available in dogs, some key biological findings and the implications for other experimental organisms.

The genome of the grey short-tailed opossum Monodelphis domestica has been sequenced and analyzed, giving a first peek at a marsupial's genetic code. Of particular interest are the genetics of the immune system, which has been studied as a model for humans, and of the X chromosome for historical reasons.

The anapole is an intriguing example of a nonradiating source useful in the study of electromagnetic properties in complex phenomena. Here, Miroshnichenko et al.demonstrate that a single dielectric nanoparticle can exhibit a radiationless anapole mode at visible wavelengths.

Polygenic risk scores predict the likelihood that an individual will develop a certain cancer, however these are often specific for a given population. Here, the authors show that a risk score developed to assess the risk of breast cancer in European women can also predict risk in Asian populations.

Congenital myasthenic syndromes are rare inherited neuromuscular disorders. Here, the authors attempt to explain diverse disease severity seen in 20 patients with shared CHRNE gene mutations with a multilayer network analysis that identifies individual-level impairments at the neuromuscular junction.

Ingo Braasch, John Postlethwait and colleagues report the genome of the spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), whose lineage diverged from teleosts before genome duplication. Their data provide insights into the evolution of genes involved in immunity, mineralization and development and facilitate the comparison of cis-regulatory elements between teleosts and humans.

Sudipto Roy, Carol Wicking, Carsten Bergmann and colleagues report that mutations in DZIP1L cause autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). Through studies of mouse and zebrafish models of DZIP1L loss of function, the authors demonstrate that DZIP1L is required for proper function of the periciliary diffusion barrier.

Several different viruses have a role in cancer pathogenesis, contributing to the development of various haematological malignancies and solid tumours via diverse, multifaceted mechanisms. However, this viral aetiology presents a unique opportunity for adoptive virus-specific T cell (VST) therapy. This Review summarizes the mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis and describes the current clinical experience with adoptive cellular immunotherapies for virus-related cancers, predominantly using non-genetically modified VSTs. The authors also discuss challenges and future directions for the ongoing clinical development of VST therapies.

Huang and colleagues used machine-learning estimators to analyse a broad range of parameters in a prospective cohort consisting ART and spontaneously conceived children. Small differences in stature and growth could not be explained by parental or perinatal environment factors, nor differences in fetal DNA methylation. No strong differences in metabolic parameters were seen.

3D printing is becoming a mainstream technology with considerable increase in access to affordable desktop printers. However, specific design principles and material considerations need to be weighed when printing functional devices that integrate catalytic and/or analytical functionalities, as well as when printing common laboratory hardware.

The next step after sequencing a genome is to figure out how the cell actually uses it as an instruction manual. A large international consortium has examined 1% of the genome for what part is transcribed, where proteins are bound, what the chromatin structure looks like, and how the sequence compares to that of other organisms.

A whole-genome alignment of 240 phylogenetically diverse species of eutherian mammal—including 131 previously uncharacterized species—from the Zoonomia Project provides data that support biological discovery, medical research and conservation.

Christine Skibola and colleagues identify variants at 6p21.32 associated with risk of follicular lymphoma, providing further support that variation in the MHC region influences risk of this disease. They also replicate previously reported risk variants for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Andrea Superti-Furga, Ron Wevers, Clara van Karnebeek, Luisa Bonafé and colleagues identify mutations in NANS, which encodes the sialic acid synthase, in nine individuals with severe infantile-onset developmental delay and skeletal dysplasia. They describe abnormal metabolites accumulating because of deficient NANS enzyme activity and show that impaired sialic acid synthesis in zebrafish perturbs skeletal development, which can partially be rescued by supplementation with exogenous sialic acid.

The parasitic plant Striga hermonthica germinates when it senses strigolactones (SLs). By expressing Striga SL receptors in Arabidopsis, the authors show that the SL pathway can regulate germination independently of gibberellin signalling.

Nadav Ahituv, Nicola Illing, Jeff Wall and colleagues sequence the genome of the bat Miniopterus natalensis and perform RNA-seq and ChIP-seq (H3K27ac and H3K27me3) analyses on its developing forelimb and hindlimb autopods at sequential embryonic stages. Their analyses identify genomic regions that may contribute to bat wing formation.

Many biological processes are regulated by circadian rhythms, which keep them in time with the Earth's 24-hour light–dark cycle. Elucidating the genetic control of circadian rhythms will help to understand the many diseases that can result when the clock goes wrong.