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Homologous recombination (HR) is an essential DNA repair pathway for genomic stability. Here the authors show that C17orf53/MCM8IP, an OB-fold containing protein, promotes HR through direct binding and activation of the MCM8-9 helicase complex.

Tissue chips with matured human heart, liver, bone and skin tissue niches linked by recirculating vascular flow recapitulate interdependent functions of these organs.

Using a composite bioinformatics approach, the DNA:DNA:RNA triplex-forming lncRNAs HIF1α-AS1 was identified in human endothelial cells which recruits an epigenetic silencing complex to limit expression of triplex target genes.

Song and colleagues show that FDA-approved cough suppressant dextromethorphan could be used as an agonist of sigma non-opioid intracellular receptor 1 (SIGMAR1) to normalize the action potential in human cellular models and a mouse model of Timothy syndrome, a congenital disease with no available treatment. The researchers also show that dextromethorphan normalizes the action potential in human cellular models of two additional inherited cardiac arrhythmias: long QT syndrome types 1 and 2, which are caused by mutations in different genes.

Fibrocytes are monocyte-derived cells implicated in wound healing. Here, the authors utilise single cell RNA-seq, genetic ablation and multiplexed imaging to identify a fibrocyte population in lung cancer models, and use human lung cancer coculture systems to highlight their potential to modulate microenvironmental niche and sensitivity to endothelin blockade.

This study shows that maternal and perinatal obesity cause bronchial and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation through an IL-6-FoxO1 axis, and favor thereby the emergence of bronchial obstruction and pulmonary hypertension later in life.

Electrolysers can upgrade CO₂ into high-value chemicals, but there are few tools capable of tracking the reactions that occur within these devices during operation. Now an electrolysis optical coherence tomography platform has been developed to visualize the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to CO, plus the movement of components, within the device.

A study of SARS-CoV-2 variants examining their transmission, infectivity, and potential resistance to therapies provides insights into the biology of the Delta variant and its role in the global pandemic.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome may occur in children following COVID-19 infection. Here, the authors analyze gene signatures to show that MIS-C shares the same host immune response as the pre-pandemic inflammatory syndrome of Kawasaki disease but is further along in the spectrum in disease severity

The response to infectious and inflammatory challenges differs among people but the reasons for this are poorly understood. Here the authors explore the impact of variables such as age, sex, and the capacity for controlling inflammation and maintaining immunocompetence, linking this capacity to favourable health outcomes and lifespan.

PCR is an essential method for the amplification and manipulation of nucleic acids, but the requirement for a thermocycler limits access. Here, authors engineer a helicase to replace the heating step of PCR with enzymatic unwinding, allowing the isothermal amplification of fragments up to 6 kb.

A region on chromosome 19p13 is associated with the risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer. Here, the authors genotyped SNPs in this region in thousands of breast and ovarian cancer patients and identified SNPs associated with three genes, which were analysed with functional studies.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a severe lung disease characterised by progressive vascular remodelling. Here, the authors show that reduced signalling of flow-activated transcription factor KLF2 is a common feature of human PAH and that KLF2-regulated exosomal miRNAs have a therapeutic effect.

The addition of transverse forces to an ensemble of colloidal spinners induces the appearance of odd elastic crystals, featuring self-propelled defects that organize the system into a ‘self-kneading’ crystal whorl state.

Single cell transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA) can identify genes that are differentially expressed in cell populations in specific diseases. Here the authors perform scRNA sequencing in a high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) cohort and show transcriptional differences in monocyte populations.

The measurement of the total cross-section of proton–proton collisions is of fundamental importance for particle physics. Here, the first measurement of the inelastic cross-section is presented for proton–proton collisions at an energy of 7 teraelectronvolts using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider.

Whole-genome analysis of paired follicular lymphoma and double-hit lymphoma shows that lymphoma progression is accompanied by enhanced somatic mutations targeting super-enhancer-embedded promoters.

Microglia rely on mitochondrial respiration to respond to demyelinating injury. However, mitochondrial respiration is not required to support microglial proliferation.

Disruption of the neural pathways following spinal cord injury can cause detrusor–external sphincter dyssynergia (DSD), where patients have a low capacity bladder with high intravesical pressure. The main aims of treatments for DSD are to reduce intravesical pressure and to improve bladder drainage. This Review discusses the different strategies for managing DSD and their relative merits in this patient population.

Genome-wide association studies have identified regions which confer risk of high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer. Here the authors use expression quantitative train locus analysis to identify candidate genes and functionally characterise them, identifying a role for HOXD9 in ovarian cancer.

Experiments at the Joint European Torus tokamak show improved thermal ion confinement in the presence of highly energetic ions and Alfvénic instabilities in the plasma.

Most confirmed susceptibility variants for epithelial ovarian cancer lie in non-protein-coding sequences. Here Permuth-Wey and colleagues investigate variants in 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and uncover a new susceptibility locus.

Profiling >200,000 live human microglia from 74 donors across neurological diseases reveals 12 subtypes of microglia that were validated in situ. Camptothecin is also identified as a compound reducing disease-enriched microglial subsets.

HNF1B is overexpressed in the clear cell subtype and epigenetically silenced in the serous subtype of ovarian cancer. Pearce and colleagues now show that genetic variants in HNF1B are differentially associated with risks of developing these two cancer subtypes, possibly through an epigenetic mechanism.

Oncolytic viruses expressing transgenes for immunomodulatory cytokines can be produced at high throughput by exploiting the preferential susceptibility of the viruses to certain antibiotics.

SUV4-20 members mediate the di- and trimethylation of lysine 20 on histone H4. A chemical screen led to the identification of A-196 as a potent and selective inhibitor of SUV4-20 that decreases H4K20 methylation and alters DNA damage response.

Axonemal microtubules are crosslinked to the surrounding plasma membrane at the ciliary base, in the transition zone. Tsou and colleagues have identified a centriole distal-end protein, CEP162, which mediates the association of transition zone components to axonemal microtubules.

Half of the reduced visibility due to haze formation in cities in India is attributed to local emission of gas-phase hydrochloric acid from waste-burning and industry, according to measurements of particulate matter and thermodynamic modelling.

Quantum correlations between the laser beams and the positions of the 40-kg mirrors of LIGO are confirmed experimentally, enabling high-precision measurements of both gravitational waves and macroscopic quantum states.

A programmable transposase integrates donor DNA at user-defined genomic target sites with high fidelity, revealing a new approach for genetic engineering that obviates the need for DNA double-strand breaks and homologous recombination.