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The genetic basis underlying resistance to Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) in oilseed rape remains elusive. Here, the authors identify BnaA07.MKK9 as a pivotal regulator of SSR resistance in oilseed rape by GWAS, providing new insights into plant defense mechanisms against necrotrophic pathogens.

A new artificial intelligence model, DeepSeek-R1, is introduced, demonstrating that the reasoning abilities of large language models can be incentivized through pure reinforcement learning, removing the need for human-annotated demonstrations.

USP17L, encoded by a gene family expressed in mouse 2-cell embryos and 2-cell-like cells, is shown to promote the 2-cell program in mESCs at both transcriptional and post-translational levels, in part through deubiquitinating H2AK119ub1 and ZSCAN4.

The authors present the full-length structure of the polymerase (L protein) from the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV)—a segmented, negative-stranded RNA virus. The structure reveals important details with implications for the understanding of viral transcription and replication, and provides information on the organization of the polymerase core domain, entrance and exit tunnels, as well as the cap-binding and endonuclease domains.

In the dose-expansion cohort of this phase 1b trial, the EGFR×HER3 bispecific antibody–drug conjugate BL-B01D1 given to patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma led to encouraging clinical response rates, which need to be confirmed in larger efficacy trials.

Direct photocatalytic oxidation of methane into valuable oxygenated products remains highly challenging due to the inevitable overoxidation of the desired products. Here the authors report TiO₂ anchored with subnanometric MoO_x clusters for efficient oxidation of methane to C1 oxygenates with a high yield and selectivity.

Primary aliphatic amines are abundant building blocks but underutilized as alkyl sources in C–C bond formation. Now it has been shown that integrating nitrogen-atom deletion into the aza-Michael reaction redirects the classical pathway from (sp³)C–N bond formation to Giese-type (sp³)C–C(sp³) bond construction.

The powdery mildew resistance of the MLIW170/PM26 locus, which originated from wild emmer wheat, is determined by a genetically linked atypical NLR gene pair, TdCNL1 and TdCNL5, with TdCNL1 encoding an atypical nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein integrating a potassium-dependent sodium-calcium exchanger domain.

Molecular rolling lubrication can control friction phenomenon like a wheel. Here, the authors find the self-curled deformation effect of graphite nanosheets at cryogenic temperature, which promotes the in-situ formation of parallel nano-rollers, and acquire molecular rolling lubrication.

The unique structure and mechanism of chanoclavine synthase (EasC), a haem catalase that uses superoxide for substrate transformation in ergot alkaloid biosynthesis, are revealed in this study, challenging established catalase mechanisms.

Cheng et al. identify a mitochondrial complex IV (CIV) deficiency in the brains of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They demonstrate that defects in mitochondrial CIV induce ALS-like phenotypes in rats and highlight CIV deficiency as a potential risk factor and therapeutic target for ALS.

Resistance to anti-HER2 therapies in breast cancer remains a significant clinical challenge. Here, the authors demonstrate that EZH2 regulates response to HER2-targeting therapies in breast cancer, in part, by modulating the expression of PPP2R2B.

Type I interferon-dependent immunity is crucial for antiviral defense but must be tightly regulated to prevent tissue damage. Here, the authors present RNF167 as a negative regulator of RLR-triggered IFN activation, mediating K6- and K11-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I/MDA5 to promote proteasomal and autophagic degradation.

A recombinant vaccine that targets the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 induces a potent antibody response in immunized mice, rabbits and non-human primates, and protects primates from infection with the virus.

In the largest study so far of CAR T cells in patients with solid tumors, autologous CLDN18.2-targeting CAR T cell therapy was well tolerated in patients with advanced CLDN18.2-positive gastrointestinal cancers, with an overall response rate of 42.2% and a disease control rate of 91.1%.

Deuterodeamination, analogous to hydrodeamination, presents greater difficulties due to its frequently slower deuteration rate, interference by hydrogenation and constraints in deuterated sources. Here, the authors report a reliable, robust and scalable hydro- and deuterodeamination method capable of handling various primary amines.

BaFe₂As₂ is a parent compound for iron based superconductors, and this has motivated extensive study of its magnetic and electronics properties. Here, using neutron polarisation analysis, the authors demonstrate the critical importance of spin-orbit coupling to properties of BaFe₂As₂.

IgG4-related disease is a fibro-inflammatory disorder, characterized by infiltration of IgG4 producing plasma cells in the target organs. Here authors show that the affected B cells express less ubiquitin-specific protease 25 (USP25), and this results in activation of multiple pathways involved in cytoskeleton reorganization, inflammation and energy metabolism, which might govern disease pathogenesis.

In a large prospective cohort of 1,090 pregnant women with a high risk of fetal genetic diseases, a cell-free DNA screening identified cases of aneuploidies, microdeletions and monogenic variants with high accuracy in concordance to standard diagnostic tests

Min Deng, Kai Wang and colleagues report genome-wide association analyses of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Han Chinese population. They identify two new risk loci at 1q32 and 22p11.

In this study, the authors report the development of an inhalable IgM-like ACE2 and show that it broadly neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants, lowers viral loads and lung pathology in hamsters when administered early, and has good safety profiles in rats and monkeys.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations are associated with cancer development and IDH-mutant inhibitors are approved to treat IDH-mutant cancer. Here, the authors show in preclinical murine models that wild-type IDH2 is a potential therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer.

This study reports the genomic changes underlying the convergent and divergent agronomic improvement of the female and male heterotic groups during modern hybrid maize breeding, laying a foundation for the dissection and utilization of maize heterosis.

The second messenger cAMP modulates a wide range of important biological processes. Here, the authors developed a fluorescent indicator termed G-Flamp1, which can accurately report levels of cAMP in living cells.

Following a booster dose of CoronaVac in two single-centre phase 2 clinical trials, the authors show that neutralising antibody titres decline approximately 4-fold and 2.5-fold from day 28 to day 180 in adults aged 18-59 years and in adults aged 60 years and older, respectively.

The spatial signature of metabolic remodeling in tumours remains to be explored. Here, the integration of mass spectrometry imaging-based spatial metabolomics and lipidomics with microarray-based spatial transcriptomics allows the visualisation of metabolic heterogeneity in gastric cancer.

Powdery mildew is a major threat to world wheat yields. Here the authors describe the map-based cloning of Pm24, a gain-of-function powdery mildew resistance allele that encodes a tandem kinase-pseudokinase protein with a deletion in a kinase domain that is endemic to certain wheat landraces.

The mechanism that drives nematic behaviour in iron-based superconductors is still unclear. Now, nematicity and anisotropy in spin excitations are shown to disappear at the same temperature, indicating that the transition is primarily spin-driven.

Dongfeng Gu and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for coronary artery disease in Han Chinese individuals. They identify four loci newly associated with coronary artery disease.

RNA demethylase FTO promotes gastric cancer tumorigenesis and progression via the SP1-AURKB-ATM signaling pathway, shedding new light on the diagnoses and treatments for gastric cancer patients.