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Although human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be used to regenerate neural tissues, inefficient protocols and poorly defined culture conditions have hindered their use. It is now shown that soft, micropatterned culture substrates can induce hPSCs to differentiate into motor neurons with significantly improved yields and purity in comparison to rigid substrates, and that such mechanotransductive process involves the Hippo/YAP pathway and phosphorylation of the intracellular protein Smad.

Ammonia can be synthesized electrochemically from nitric oxide, but the catalytic performance has generally not been satisfactory. Here the authors report a highly active copper–tin alloy for nitric oxide reduction to ammonia, which they test in a flow cell and a membrane electrode assembly.

Myosin VI can facilitate the maturation of autophagosomes in autophagy through interactions with Tom1 and autophagy receptors. Here authors report the structure of the cargobinding domain of Myosin VI in complex with Tom1, which provides insights into Myosin IV’s cargo recognition modes.

Tocilizumab has been used to treat the excessive inflammatory responses in COVID-19 patients. Here, the authors use single-cell RNA sequencing results from two severe COIVD-19 patients to provide high-dimensional immune profiling data, and to implicate potential cellular and molecular insights for the therapeutic effects of tocilizumab.

The balance of DELLA and GRF4 proteins in plants ensures the co-regulation of growth with metabolism and tipping this balance towards GRF4 leads to higher efficiency of nitrogen use.

The protein phosphatase 4 complex, the Snf1 kinase, and the transcriptional regulators CreA and Crf1 collaboratively control carbon catabolite repression and de-repression in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy provide quantitative insights into the growth of sodium microstructures in batteries.

Mechanical cues play critical roles in embryonic development. A micropatterned neuroectoderm developmental model based on human pluripotent stem cells now reveals how morophogenetic signals such as cell shape and contractility regulate neural tissue development.

Upstream pathways regulating Brg1 stability and their role in carcinogenesis are unknown. Here they show Brg1 to be phosphorylated by CK1δ to promote its ubiquitination by SCF^FBW7 (FBW7), Brg1 stabilization to promote gastric cancer metastasis, and suggest targeting Brg1 in FBW7 compromised gastric cancer.

Protocol for generating spatially patterned, human neural tube- and forebrain-like structures, by using a microfluidic device to impose orthogonal and independent chemical gradients on human pluripotent stem cells.

Differences in substrate adhesion strength are exploited in a label-free approach to separate human pluripotent stem cells from other cell types. This approach can separate fully and partially reprogrammed human induced pluripotent stem cells.

The presence of earthworms in soil may significantly increase CO₂ emissions, but the impacts of earthworms on net carbon sequestration are poorly understood. Zhang et al. introduce a new concept by which the effects of earthworms on the balance of carbon mineralization and stabilization can be quantified.

De-domestication is the process by which cultivated plants adopt characteristics similar to that of their wild predecessors. Here Qiuet al. re-sequence de-domesticated weedy rice and matched cultivated varieties and identify genetic variants indicative of convergent evolution across multiple de-domestication events.

Solid-state emissions from coal burning remain an environmental concern. Here, the authors have found that TiO2 minerals present in coal are converted into titanium suboxides during burning, and initial biotoxicity screening suggests that further testing is needed to look into human lung consequences.

International discussion must guide research, urge Nicolas Rivron, Martin Pera and colleagues.

This resource integrates different human embryo datasets to create a transcriptional reference map of human embryonic development from zygote to gastrula.

Blockade of sialic acid-binding protein Siglec-15 expressed in cancer and tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells reverses immunesupression and represents a novel target for cancer immunotherapy independent from the PD-1/PD-L1 axis.

Early in human embryonic development, it is unclear how amniotic sac formation is regulated. Here, the authors use a human pluripotent stem cell-based model, termed the post-implantation amniotic sac embryoid, to recapitulate early embryogenic events of human amniotic sac development.

The yeast telomerase subunit Est1p has been implicated in recruitment of the telomerase complex to telomeres via its interaction with Cdc13p, but genetic data have pointed to an additional role for Est1p in telomere maintenance. Now Est1p is shown to convert G-rich telomeric DNA into G-quadruplex structures in vitro, and this activity is essential for telomere length maintenance in vivo.

Micropost arrays can be used to modulate substrate rigidity independently of other substrate properties, permitting the study of the effects of rigidity on cell function.

Pluripotent stem cells are being used to generate models of early embryogenesis that are promising for discovery and translational research. To be useful, these models require critical consideration of their level of efficiency and fidelity to natural embryos. Here we propose criteria with which to raise the standards of stem-cell-based embryo models of human embryogenesis.

The use of biomarkers of ageing is crucial for investigating age-related processes. This Review discusses biomarkers of ageing and of ageing-associated physiological changes, at the cellular, tissue and organism levels in humans and non-human primates.

The crystal structure of a nucleotide-free energy-coupling factor transporter from Lactobacillus brevis at a resolution of 3.5 Å suggests a plausible working model for the transport cycle of such transporters.

Limiting average global warming to 2 °C will not limit regional warming to the same levels. This study shows drylands have warmed, and will continue to warm, more than the humid lands that are primarily responsible for emissions.

Warming temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns and human activities on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are impacting phenology, including advancing the start and delaying the end of the growing season. This Review examines the drivers, patterns and impacts of changing vegetation phenology across this region.

Human embryology is flourishing thanks to an impetus provided by embryo models formed from stem cells. These scientific advances require meticulous experimental work and a refined ethical framework, but also sensible public communication. Securing public support is essential to achieve societal impact.

Single-cell traction-force measurements performed on fluorescently labelled elastomeric surfaces can probe the physiological and pathological behaviour of thousands of cells in a single experiment.

Stem cell-based embryo models can recapitulate developmental processes such as tissue patterning and morphogenetic events from pre-implantation to early organogenesis. This Review discusses how bioengineering approaches can be used to generate more efficient, controllable, reproducible and scalable embryo models.

Landmarks of early stages of human embryogenesis can be recapitulated in a highly controllable and scalable fashion by culturing human pluripotent stem cells in a microfluidic device.

The control of biophysical cues during the culture of human pluripotent stem cells on biomaterial substrates can be used to replicate the in vivo amniogenic environment and direct in vitro generation of early human amniotic tissue.