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Hepatitis C virus remains a health burden due to the lack of an effective vaccine, hindered by difficulties in replicating the native E1E2 antigen structure. Here, the authors engineer a stabilized E1E2 heterodimer using cryo-EM-guided modifications, enhancing immunogenicity and paving the way for future HCV vaccine development.

Here, the authors develop Q4ddPCR, a high-throughput assay to quantify genetically intact HIV reservoirs by targeting four regions, and demonstrate that it reduces assay dropout to 5%, tracks reservoir decay, and closely correlates with viral outgrowth.

The underlying regulatory mechanisms of of human cortical diversity remains poorly understood. Here, authors profiled human brain cells to study how they use different gene programs across cortical regions, revealing molecular rules and specific transcription factors that drive functional specialization of neurons in the brain

Beta-arrestins are key transducers of G-protein coupled receptors, but the mechanisms of beta-arrestin signaling are poorly understood. Here, authors use cryo-electron microscopy to show how beta-arrestin 1 binds and activates Src kinase

Most studies assessing food self-sufficiency look at calories and neglect nutrient gaps. Comparing food demand and potential food production under land and water constraints, this study quantifies 9 key nutrient gaps for each of African’s 54 countries.

Most patients with B-cell leukemia respond to chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy, yet many relapse due to loss of CAR T function. Here, the authors show that the metabolism of CAR T from short- and long-term responders is different, which may explain why CAR T lose functionality.

Programming ultrafast, reversible motions at the micron scale in subcellular soft materials and active matter requires precise spatiotemporal control over molecular processes. Here, the authors investigate elastic cortical protein networks that assemble rapidly and demonstrate repeatable force generation that actuates using light-sensitive Ca2+ release.

C-prenylated flavonoids possess notable pharmaceutical potential, but their production is hindered by the challenging selective prenylation of their unstable polyphenolic cores. Here, the authors present a directed evolution strategy to reshape the active pocket of the prenyltransferase AtaPT, uncovering an aromatic cage that governs both regioselectivity and donor specificity, and achieve efficient and scalable synthesis of 27 C-prenylated flavonoids.

Brief ultrasound to human frontal eye fields, but not motor cortex, rapidly biases eye movement contralaterally in a perceptual choice task. The size of this effect scales with individual baseline FEF inhibitory tone.

Pertussis notifications reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands but increased in 2023 to the highest levels since vaccination introduction. Here, the authors use longitudinal serological data from a nationwide cohort study to investigate waning immunity and infection incidence.

The authors show that aging of metastable protein condensates can lead to amyloid formation and impair biochemical activity. Certain small molecule metabolites can selectively impede this transition, preserving condensate function.

Photocatalytic four-component reaction is a green and efficient synthetic strategy. Here, the authors report a series of covalent organic frameworks via the photocatalytic four-component reaction, which are used for photocatalysis.

The majority of microbial metabolites remain cryptic or minimally expressed under laboratory conditions. Here authors show that high-energy pulsed electron beams (HEPE) can be used to induce extensive structural variation, activating secondary metabolite biosynthesis.

Here, the authors report the synthesis of high-κ ionic dielectric Sb₄O₅Cl₂ thin films with aligned ionic channels, showing their application for the realization of high-performance 2D MoS₂ transistors with programmable non-volatile memory and synaptic behaviours enabled by the controllable ionic migration in Sb₄O₅Cl₂.

Ultra-thin active layers for semi-transparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs) are limited in cell-to-module efficiency. Here, the authors show thickness tolerance for ST-OSCs using aggregation control of acceptor in donor-diluted blends and the feasibility of building-integrated photovoltaics via a 600 cm² module.

Spectroscopic observations of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-189b reveal both volatile (H₂O, CO, OH) and refractory (Fe, Mg, Si) gas in its atmosphere. Here, the authors show that the abundance ratio of refractory species reflects that of the host star.

Interfacial charge transfer limits fast-charging sodium-ion batteries. Here, authors demonstrate a P2-type positive electrode that utilizes potential-dependent anion-specific adsorption to accelerate charge transfer, enabling high-rate capability and stable cycling in Ah-scale pouch cells.

Here the authors identify nicotine-derived inhibitors of the SARS-CoV−2 main protease that outperform Paxlovid in cells and mice, remain effective against resistant variants, and show broad activity against multiple human coronaviruses.

ATRX mutations are associated with developmental disorders and cancer, but how they affect gene regulation is unclear. Here, the authors report that ATRX loss can perturb alpha-globin gene expression by promoting G4- and R-loop-associated DNA damage via a G-rich repeat.

DNA recognition and cleavage control in type II topoisomerases are poorly understood processes. Here, the authors determine cleaved and uncleaved structures of supercoiled DNA-bound topoisomerase VI that reveal how the enzyme activates its cleavage state and prefers to act at deformable substrates.

Polymer matrices are widely explored for room-temperature phosphorescent materials, but their effects on photophysical properties remain insufficiently explored. Here, the authors report a study considering the electronic and steric impacts of the matrix on thermally stimulated phosphorescence.

Lactone monomers for recyclable polyesters are conventionally synthesized via endergonic, non-oxidative dehydrocyclization of fossil-derived diols in the vapor phase over precious-metal catalysts at elevated temperatures. Here, the authors demonstrate a low-temperature, solvent-free, oxidative route to lactones from bio-derivable liquid diols using earth-abundant calcium-copper mixed-metal oxide catalysts.

ROS1, a known oncogene, is an orphan receptor tyrosine kinase whose activation mechanism has remained elusive. Cryo-EM structures of ROS1 reveal how ligand activates the receptor and how monoclonal antibodies inhibit ROS1 signaling.

Coronaviruses use suboptimal codons yet efficiently translate proteins. Here, the authors show that SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 infections reprogram four host tRNA modifications, linking stress-induced tRNA remodelling to enhanced viral translation.

ATPγS, a slowly-hydrolysed ATP analogue, causes kinesin to take extra backsteps under load. Here, the authors examine single-molecule mechanics and propose a state in which forward steps and coupled ATP hydrolysis are turned off, but unsteered steps are allowed.

Here the authors report a kilowatt-scale, alkali-cation-free CO₂ electrolysis system using high-diffusion-flux gas diffusion electrodes, achieving over 1000 h of stability for efficient CO or C₂H₂ production at industrially relevant current densities.

The study of highly active electrodes in organic electrosynthesis remains an under-investigated component of the subfield. This work introduces a bottom-up route to prepare chitin-derived composite carbon aerogel electrodes (CCAEs), which can be directly used as electrodes in organic electrosynthesis systems.

Independently folding domains can be seen as the functional and evolutionary structural units of proteins. Here, the authors assess effects of >7000 mutations in a model PDZ domain, to quantify how two small extensions to a protein domain reshape its energetic and allosteric landscape.

How the brain maintains object representations during grasping, when complex sensory input rapidly changes, remains poorly understood. Here the authors show that object-identity signals shift and strengthen across sensorimotor cortex as reaching transitions to grasping.

CRISPR-Cas12a catalyses RNA-guided DNA cleavage. Here, authors present structure-function studies of a high-fidelity Cas12a variant that reveal how helical transition of a conserved “bridge helix” facilitates R-loop propagation and DNA cleavage.

The authors observed the electric field-induced generation and manipulation of topological spin textures at the monolayer limit using the topological magneto-optical effect.

Engineering metal-ion vacancy in dynamically reconstructed catalysts under operating conditions is attractive for practical utilization. Here, the authors report a Sr-mediated reconstruction method to dynamically fabricate Co-vacancy-enriched Sr-CoOOH for water electrolysis.

Neuropathic pain is commonly treated with opioids due to limited alternatives. Here, authors determine cryo-EM structures of the neuronal glycine transporter GlyT2 and develop a reversible inhibitor that provides analgesia in vivo without side effects.

Tiny protein crystals often evade X-ray methods. Here, authors solved the seed protein crambin at 0.85 Å by ab initio MicroED from 58 self-formed nanocrystals on standard 200 kV hardware, resolving hydrogen atoms using anisotropy-aware merging.

Autopsy brain studies can be distorted because time and temperature alter gene expression. Here, the authors show that neurons, then oligodendrocytes, sequentially activate artifact genes, and provide a tool to measure these effects in RNA sequencing data.

Researchers report a solid that is amorphous in two dimensions but crystalline in the third, made of stacked disordered atomic layers. This shows that crystalline and amorphous order can coexist within a single material depending on direction.