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Engineering structurally and functionally complex synthetic cells remains a key challenge. Here DNA condensate synthetic cells combine phase separation and DNA nanostructures to reveal how switchable artificial cytoskeletons assemble in viscoelastic confinements. These cytoskeletons improve the mechanical properties of synthetic cells and enable stable mechano-interfaces with mammalian cells.

Nuclear biomolecular condensates are functional sub-compartments within the cell nucleus. Here, the authors develop a synthetic DNA protonucleus that enables RNA transcription and condensation into diverse nuclear patterns, revealing insights into phase separation in nucleus-mimetic environments.

Tuning the kinetics of photo-induced crosslinking between mechanically distinct polymer phases produces strong and tough hydrogels.

Quantized subgap states measured in the vortex cores of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δhave been challenging theory for over twenty years. Here, the authors show that these spectral features identified as vortex-core states exist independent of vortices, which calls for revisiting vortices in cuprate superconductors.

Adding short, complementary oligonucleotides to single-stranded DNA condensates creates a concentrated, linearly propagating, sharp diffusion front that contradicts the fuzzy concentration gradients and nonlinear kinetics typical of Fickian diffusion.

Nacre-mimetics hold great promise as high-performance, functional materials. Here, the authors use synthetic nanoclays and demonstrate tuneable mechanical properties by varying the nanoclay aspect ratio, and suggest a transparent gas barrier application.

Structural and dynamic DNA nanosciences offer unique tools for engineering bottom–up synthetic cells. This Review provides a holistic overview for using DNA as a structural material, for designing functional entities, and for information-processing circuits for adaptive and interactive behaviour.

Ferrimagnets possess multiple spin sub-lattices resulting in a complex magnon band structure and subtle spin transport across interfaces. Here, the authors show how the spin Seebeck effect, the thermal generation of pure spin current, may be an effective tool to study these magnetic excitations.

‘Functional adaptation after local mechanical stimulation is ubiquitous in nature but remains elusive in artificial systems. Here, the authors describe metamaterial hydrogels to sense mechanical stimuli with sharp force threshold, transmit this information and induce mechanical strengthening by growing nanofibril networks or soft robotic actuation through competitive swelling.

Previous work on critical scaling at the superconductor-to-insulator transition has shown variations across different materials. Here, the authors use a space charge doping technique to tune the transition in a single layer cuprate sample and present evidence of the universal scaling behaviour.

When exposed to polarized light, DNA condensate droplets with molecular photoswitches undergo life-inspired shape changes and motion.

Signal processing for downstream functional and morphological adaptations is crucial for understanding and re-enacting features of living systems. Here, the authors show DNAzyme-containing, metabolic protocells that induce prototissue formation via chemical messenger communication due to in situ cleavage of upstream DNA signals.

Sequential acquisition and image reconstruction in super-resolved structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM) is time-consuming. Here the authors optimise both acquisition and reconstruction software to achieve multicolour SR-SIM at video frame-rates with reconstructed images displaying with only milliseconds delay during the experiment.

Switching mechanical properties in stiff bioinspired nanocomposites is challenging as they contain high fractions of hard reinforcements. Here, the authors demonstrate reversible electrical switching in highly-reinforced cellulose nanopapers using an applied low direct current.

Multicompartment micelles can be assembled from block copolymers but it is difficult to manipulate their hierarchical superstructures using straightforward concepts. Here, methods are developed that involve the pre-assembly of subunits for the structurally controlled production of micelles.

It is unclear whether trait trade-offs and optimality principles observed at the individual level scale up to the ecosystem level. Here, the authors show that plant trait coordination principles also predict patterns between community-level traits and ecosystem-scale processes.

Alterations in the tumour suppressor genes STK11 and/or KEAP1 can identify patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who are likely to benefit from combinations of PD-(L)1 and CTLA4 immune checkpoint inhibitors added to chemotherapy.

Transmembrane signaling is the core adaptation in nature that allows cells to communicate. Here, the authors engineer signaling through the lipid bilayer using chemical, synthetic receptors for their use in the design of artificial cells.

Integration and communication of distinct chemical reaction networks is a biological strategy for controlling dynamics of hierarchical structures. Here, the authors report ATP-fuelled autonomous DNA nanotube assembly regulated by DNA strand displacement reactions, which are induced and controlled by an upstream enzyme reaction network of concurrent ATP-mediated ligation and restriction of DNA components.

Genome-wide association analyses of two oral glucose tolerance test-derived measures of postprandial insulin resistance discover ten new loci. Functional characterization identifies nine candidate genes implicated in the regulation of GLUT4.

There is interest in creating life-like behaviours in synthetic multicomponent systems. Here, the authors report on a modular DNA toolbox able to create transient, dynamic structures using ATP-driven molecular recognition in which multiple systems can run in parallel and across hierarchies.

Mechanosensitive materials typically lack complex response patterns due to difficult synthetic methods. Here, the authors introduce FRET-based DNA tension probes into macroscopic 3D DNA hydrogels to prepare mechanofluorescent materials with programmable sacrificial bonds and stress relaxation behaviour.

Single-stranded DNA with purine-rich poly-A and poly-G sequences can undergo a defined lower critical solution temperature-type phase transition at elevated temperature like other polymers, which can be exploited to realize defined kinetic microparticle assemblies.

Reduced glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. Here, Pattaro et al. conduct a meta-analysis to discover several new loci associated with variation in eGFR and find that genes associated with eGFR loci often encode proteins potentially related to kidney development.

Building kinetic models from time-resolved data can be challenging due to the presence of unknown intermediate states. Here, the authors introduce a deep- learning-based framework that provides a kinetic reaction network and outperforms conventional fitting in determining time constants and amplitude parameters.

Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus appeared in European hedgehogs in the pre-antibiotic era as a co-evolutionary adaptation to antibiotic-producing dermatophytes and have spread within the local hedgehog populations and between hedgehogs and secondary hosts.

Open-access 3D images of whole cells and tissues with combined finer resolution and larger sample size are enabled by advances in focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.

Here, Miranda-Cervantes et al. identified pantothenate kinase 4 (PanK4) as a key regulator of muscle metabolism. Deleting PanK4 impairs fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake, leading to glucose intolerance, while increasing PanK4 enhances glucose metabolism, highlighting its potential in promoting metabolic health.

Children are less likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and develop less severe disease than adults, which makes estimation of infection rates challenging. Here, the authors conduct seroprevalence surveys of children in Germany, describe changes in prevalence over time, and identify risk factors for infection.

Precise control over the geometry of nanoscale one-dimensional structures is challenging. Cylindrical polymer brushes have now been used to synthesize organo-silica hybrid nanowires that are not only soluble in water but also in many organic solvents.

Genetically encoded multimeric particles (GEMs) are 25-nm tags with recognizable structural signatures, which can be used to label specific proteins in mammalian cells to facilitate their subcellular localization in cryo-ET.

Retrograde signalling ensures message communication between organelles and the nucleus. A pivotal regulator of plant retrograde signalling, GENOMES UNCOUPLED1, is now found to regulate protein import into chloroplast during chloroplast biogenesis or under stress conditions.

Döring, van der Vorst, Yan, Neideck et al. present a non-canonical chemokine pathway involving CCL17 signaling through CCR8, which induces CCL3 expression independent of CCR4 and suppresses the functions of atheroprotective T_reg cells.

The authors found that VDAC2 plays a crucial role in influencing mitochondrial calcium dynamics and cellular calcium signalling. A VDAC2 agonist, efsevin, rescued the heart failure phenotype, identifying a new potential therapeutic target for heart failure.

Previous studies have shown that the CD40L-CD40 signaling axis plays a role in atherosclerosis. Here the authors investigate the cell-specific functions of the most relevant CD40L-expressing cell types in atherosclerosis. Deficiency of T cell-derived CD40L reduces and stabilizes plaques through impaired Th1 polarization while platelet-derived CD40L ameliorates atherothrombosis.

The determination of the phase diagram of cuprate superconductors involves chemical doping which introduces disorder and could mask intrinsic effects. Sterpetti et al. establish this phase diagram with transport measurements in ultra-thin samples by modulating the carrier density with an alternative electrostatic method.

Prostate cancer (PrCa) involves a large heritable genetic component. Here, the authors perform multivariate fine-mapping of known PrCa GWAS loci, identifying variants enriched for biological function, explaining more familial relative risk, and with potential application in clinical risk profiling.

Genetically improved artificial metalloenzymes in DNA protocells convert signalling molecules into DNA-interacting metabolites that induce downstream growth, functional adaptation and fusion processes inside protocells and between protocells.

Over one hundred loci have been identified to be associated with the familial risk of prostate cancer but the functional effects are poorly understood. Here the authors use single-nucleotide variant and epigentic data to show an underlying genetic architecture marked by histone modification.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) residing within tumors can impede immune responses. Knolle and colleagues show that MDSCs poison immune cells by producing methylglyoxal, which functionally alters their cellular metabolism and hence their effector responses.