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Here the authors present a compendium of avirulence genotypes for epidemiologically significant strains of wheat stem rust based on nuclear phased genome assemblies and functional assays to inform resistance gene deployment and pathogen surveillance.

Here researchers reveal a microexon in the Ank3 gene encoding Ankyrin G allows cortical interneurons to fine-tune calcium signaling and firing, revealing the contribution of alternative splicing to the functional diversity among different types of neurons.

Self-powered nanogenerators by harvesting energy from the environment are desirable for future portable and wearable electronics. Liet al. show the use of ferroelectret nanogenerators to build microphone or loudspeaker, which convert electrical signals to mechanical motions in a reversible manner.

Humanity’s Last Exam, a multi-modal benchmark at the frontier of human knowledge, is designed to be an expert-level closed-ended academic benchmark with broad subject coverage.

Analysis combining multiple global tree databases reveals that whether a location is invaded by non-native tree species depends on anthropogenic factors, but the severity of the invasion depends on the native species diversity.

Producing valuable hydrocarbons electrochemically from carbon monoxide (CO) is an energy-efficient pathway, but reliance on costly pure CO as a feedstock limits its economic viability. This article shows that abundant CO-rich syngas can be directly used to synthesize ethylene.

Feng et al. unravel the structural basis of TDP-43 higher-order assemblies with mRNA and the structural changes leading to TDP-43 aggregation, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

An optical archival storage technology based on femtosecond laser direct writing in glass addresses the practical demands of archival storage.

Core excitons are strongly localised excitonic states impacting x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic scattering (RIXS) spectra. Here, the authors demonstrate an application of free electron laser-driven ultrafast RIXS spectroscopy to study previously unclear aspects of core exciton-phonon interactions in graphite.

Chronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care handles short-term ones. Here, authors show chronic conditions account for most of the global health burden, with 68% of DALYs and 93% of YLDs attributed to chronic care needs.

Single iron atoms on nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts are a promising alternative to platinum for the oxygen reduction reaction on fuel cell cathodes, but commonly suffer from low stability. Here an in situ chemical vapour deposition synthetic approach is presented, enabling high iron active site dispersion and reducing surface porosity, which mitigates demetallation and carbon corrosion, ensuring high activity and stability.

Multi-trait genome-wide analyses identify variants associated with comorbid lung diseases. Polygenic scores leveraging shared components of heritable risk improve prediction of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in a multi-ancestry cohort.

Two-dimensional poly(arylene vinylene) frameworks are promising polymer semiconductors, yet obtaining highly crystalline materials is a major challenge. Now a series of 11 highly crystalline or single-crystalline 2D poly(arylene vinylene)s have been prepared—from 2D imine-linked covalent organic frameworks through a Mannich-elimination strategy—with diverse lattices, enhanced conjugation and specific surface areas up to 2,000 m² g⁻¹.

Therapeutic options for patients with renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) are limited. Here the authors report the results of a phase II clinical trial of anti-PD1 nivolumab plus anti-CTLA4 ipilimumab in RMC, associating the activation of a myeloid mimicry program in tumor cells to the rapid disease progression and hyper-progression observed in treated patients.

Tools to identify who will develop Crohn’s disease in the future are limited. Here, the authors develop and validate a proteomics-based model that predicts disease onset up to 16 years before clinical diagnosis.

The emergence of resistant subpopulations often underlies the development of resistance to cancer therapy. Here, using a DNA barcoding approach, the authors demonstrate EGFR TKI treatment in non-small cell lung cancer enriches for resistant subpopulation which can be prevented by treatment with the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib via inhibition of MKNK, STAT3 and MCL1.

The MOUNTAINEER phase 2 trial demonstrated the efficacy and safety of tucatinib (HER2-targeted TKI) and trastuzumab (anti-HER2 antibody) in patients with HER2 + , RAS wildtype unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer that had progressed on chemotherapy, resulting in the approval of the regimen. Here, the authors report the updated analysis of the MOUNTAINEER trial.

Enfortumab vedotin (EV) is the current standard treatment for advanced bladder cancer, but resistance typically develops within a year, highlighting the need for new therapies. This study demonstrates that NECTIN4-targeting CAR T cells are effective against bladder cancer, including EV-resistant cells, and their potency can be further enhanced by using rosiglitazone to boost NECTIN4 expression.

This work identifies ERECTA–EPFL genes as major regulators of maize meristem activity and the development of maize shoots and ears. The findings highlight genetic targets that influence kernel row number and plant architecture to increase maize yield.

Systems of electron spins in nuclear-spin-rich hosts are gaining attention for quantum memory applications. Using spin ensemble studies, the authors propose transition metal ions in halide double perovskites as promising candidates, featuring long electron spin coherence and deterministic nuclear spin control.

Picks include a rogue gene-editor, a wunderkind physicist and a DNA detective who helped catch a serial killer.

This study shows that optimally sized nanocarriers reach Duchenne muscular dystrophy muscle primarily through transcytosis, where they can deliver tamoxifen to improve muscle health and strength in mice.

Here, authors investigate how gut microbiota contribute to defensive behaviours in honeybees, finding evidence that gut-associated bacteria affect aversive learning and memory of sting extension reflex.

Species’ traits and environmental conditions determine the abundance of tree species across the globe. Here, the authors find that dominant tree species are taller and have softer wood compared to rare species and that these trait differences are more strongly associated with temperature than water availability.

Liver-restricted viral infection in mice results in secondary lymphoid organ dormancy and the compensatory induction of specialized lymphoid tissue in the liver, the structural features and functional outputs of which are closely mirrored in humans.

Genome-wide CRISPRi screens for modulators of androgen receptor (AR) protein levels using live-cell quantitative endogenous AR fluorescence reporters identify PTGES3 as a new regulator of AR stability and function in prostate cancer.

By carefully dispersing small amounts of Ir into the RuO₂ lattice, a Ru₆IrOₓ catalyst reduces Ir usage by 80% while still running stably for over 1,500 h at 2 A cm⁻² in both laboratory- and industrial-scale proton-exchange membrane water electrolysers.

High-depth sequencing of non-cancerous tissue from patients with metastatic cancer reveals single-base mutational signatures of alcohol, smoking and cancer treatments, and reveals how exogenous factors, including cancer therapies, affect somatic cell evolution.

The 4D Nucleome Project demonstrates the use of genomic assays and computational methods to measure genome folding and then predict genomic structure from DNA sequence, facilitating the discovery of potential effects of genetic variants, including variants associated with disease, on genome structure and function.

Yang et al. identify RHOA, a GTP hydrolyzing enzyme, as a key regulator of contact sites between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. It controls contact sites by modulating a tethering complex between the two organelles.

In correlated materials, new phases emerge when the balance between many-body interactions is perturbed. Here, Ma et al. induce a mosaic charge-density-wave phase out of Mott insulating state in layered 1T-TaS₂by voltage pulses, which reveals a dominating role of interlayer stacking order.

Importin β, the prototypical eukaryotic nuclear import receptor, transports a wide variety of cargos into the nucleus. Ko et al. used cryogenic electron microscopy to reveal an unexpected allosteric regulation of Importin β’s affinity for FG-nucleoporins, triggered by Ran-GTP.

Federated learning (FL) algorithms have emerged as a promising solution to train models for healthcare imaging across institutions while preserving privacy. Here, the authors describe the Federated Tumor Segmentation (FeTS) challenge for the decentralised benchmarking of FL algorithms and evaluation of Healthcare AI algorithm generalizability in real-world cancer imaging datasets.

A global network of researchers was formed to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity; this paper reports 13 genome-wide significant loci and potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection.

China’s crowded coasts must balance seafood demand with conserving migratory shorebirds that rely on tidal flats along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. This study suggests that well-managed mariculture feeds shorebirds and limits overharvest, benefiting seafood production and biodiversity.

Mechanically interlocked monolayer and bilayer two-dimensional polymers (2DPs) are synthesized on the water surface by embedding macrocyclic molecules with one and two cavities into the backbones. The resulting bilayer 2DP displays a high effective Young’s modulus, exceeding other reported multilayer 2DPs.

Reactive capture bypasses CO₂ regeneration, enabling efficient CO production but with low Faradaic efficiency. The authors report a Ni–N₃ molecular catalyst that resists amino acid adsorption and promotes efficient CO production in amino-acid systems.

Crop diversification is a promising strategy to enhance global food security, yet potential trade-offs between yields and nutritional outcomes remain unclear. This global synthesis reveals that transitioning from monoculture to crop rotation consistently boosts total yield, nutritional quality, and revenue by 14–27%, with win-win outcomes significantly outweighing trade-offs across major agricultural regions.

Homologous recombination (HR) gene mutations are thought to be synthetic lethal with DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) inhibition. Here, the authors reveal that Polθ addiction is determined by the functional impact of gene mutations on DNA end resection activity.

The researchers present the integration of a modulator and an optical processor on a single chip based on the TFLN platform, demonstrating a system capable of high RF performance and multifunctionality. The results provide evidence that highly integrated and high-performance microwave photonic circuits are achievable.

A genome-wide association study including over 76,000 individuals with schizophrenia and over 243,000 control individuals identifies common variant associations at 287 genomic loci, and further fine-mapping analyses highlight the importance of genes involved in synaptic processes.

Geospatial estimates of the prevalence of anemia in women of reproductive age across 82 low-income and middle-income countries reveals considerable heterogeneity and inequality at national and subnational levels, with few countries on track to meet the WHO Global Nutrition Targets by 2030.

The CMS Collaboration reports the measurement of the spin, parity, and charge conjugation properties of all-charm tetraquarks, exotic fleeting particles formed in proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.

Once a poor village, Shenzhen is now one of the wealthiest cities in China. David Cyranoski learns its plans for the future.

A population of TRAIL-positive astrocytes in glioblastoma contributes to an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment and this mechanism can be targeted with an engineered oncolytic virus to improve outcomes.