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Type IV pili (T4P) enable bacteria to sense, move, and adhere to surfaces. Here, the authors solve the structure of the T4P machine in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, revealing the localization and regulatory role of its tip adhesin, PilY1.

Precise mass and radius measurements of giant planet WASP-193 b find an extremely low density of 0.059 ± 0.014 g cm⁻³. Current evolutionary models cannot fully explain such a low density, but the extended atmosphere makes WASP-193 b very suitable for high-precision characterization via JWST.

Yeast cells exhibit polarized cell growth due in part to the asymmetric activity of the small GTPase Cdc42, which regulates polarized membrane secretion that causes flows that redistribute membrane-associated molecules. Here, modeling and experiments show that membrane flow itself impacts the distribution of Cdc42, which requires fast mobility in order to maintain its polarization.

Flex-RV, a 32-bit microprocessor based on an open RISC-V instruction set fabricated with indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistors on a flexible polyimide substrate, enables an ultralow-cost bendable and flexible microprocessor.

Rodrigues et al. show that exosomal CEMIP derived from brain metastatic cells elicits vascular remodelling and inflammation and supports subsequent metastatic colonization in the brain microenvironment.

The structure of the yeast nuclear pore complex, determined at sub-nanometre precision using an integrative approach that combines a wide range of data, reveals details of its architecture, transport mechanism and evolutionary origins.

A programmable quantum simulator based on Rydberg atom arrays is used to study the collective dynamics of a quantum phase transition and observe the phenomenon of quantum coarsening.

Sengupta et al. show that the mesenchymal cell state in neuroblastoma is associated with heightened immunogenicity and anti-tumor immune responses compared with the adrenergic state, which is linked to sensitivity to immunotherapy in preclinical models.

Atoms and molecules under extreme temperature and pressure can be investigated using dense plasmas achieved by laser-driven implosion. Here the authors report spectral change of copper in billions atmosphere pressure that can only be explained by a self-consistent approach.

Viscoelasticity is a universal mechanical feature of the extracellular matrix. Here the authors show that the extracellular matrix viscoelasticity guides tissue growth and symmetry breaking, a fundamental process in morphogenesis and oncogenesis.

The activity of molecular motors drives the self-organization of cytoskeleton structures, leading to large-scale active flows. Now, experiments and simulations show how a gelation process enables such long-range transport in spindles.

How strand-asymmetric processes such as replication and transcription interact with DNA damage to drive mechanisms of repair and mutagenesis is explored.

Primary lymphomas of the central nervous system (PCNSL) are defined as diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) confined to the CNS. Here, the authors complete whole genome sequencing and RNA-seq to characterize 51 PCNSLs, and find common mutations in immune pathways and upregulated TERT expression and find distinct pathway differences between DLBCL and other primary CNS lymphomas.

Three-dimensional printed protein-based robotic structures are actuated by exoskeleton-like coats of molecular motor assemblies upon the spatially targeted release of chemical fuel, resulting in micrometre-scale shape-morphing activity.

Gram negative microbes strategically equip lipopolysaccharides with O antigens to expand the extracellular envelope. Here, the authors examine how the O antigen is captured by a special class of ABC transporters containing a carbohydrate-binding module accessory.

The behaviour of cellulose synthase and its interaction with microtubules are affected by mechanical stress. The interaction of cellulose synthase with microtubules impedes the response of microtubules to mechanical stress.

The suppression of edge-localized modes in tokamak plasmas is crucial to prevent them from damaging the walls of the chamber. Now experiments confirm the role that magnetic islands play in suppressing these detrimental modes.

Implantable biomaterials evoke foreign body responses in the central nervous system. The authors compare hydrogel-based biomaterials to identify cellular interactions and molecular mechanisms that drive different types of foreign body responses that have different effects on biomaterial function.

Binding of T cell receptors (TCR) to peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complexes (p/MHC) leads to T-cell activation. Here the authors give structural insights into T-cell signalling and show that p/MHC binding induces conformational changes at the membrane-proximal site of the TCR.

The authors find that a nearby planetary system has two terrestrial planets that transit in front of their star (from our perspective). Transiting terrestrial planets are sought after, as they can be characterized in detail, including their atmospheres. Having two in the same system is very rare.

The initiation and rupture extent of earthquakes are controlled by stress heterogeneity, according to analysis of seismicity and deformation during caldera collapse of Kilauea Volcano.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is commonly preceded by a prodromal period. Here, the authors report the presence of large plasma Aβ aggregates from patients with mild cognitive impairment, which associate with low level AD-like brain pathology as observed by 11C-PiB PET and 18F-FTP PET and lowered CD18-rich monocytes.

Using cryo-electron tomography, Dendooven et al. determined the structure of the native budding yeast γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) capping spindle microtubules and showed that γTuRC adopts an active closed conformation to function as a perfect geometric template for microtubule nucleation.

Whole-genome sequencing of tumours from 560 breast cancer cases provides a comprehensive genome-wide view of recurrent somatic mutations and mutation frequencies across both protein coding and non-coding regions; several mutational signatures in these cancer genomes are associated with BRCA1 or BRCA2 function and defective homologous-recombination-based DNA repair.

High-resolution structures of the unliganded Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) and of GP bound to the drugs toremifene and ibuprofen are presented, providing insights into how the drugs inhibit viral fusion with the endosomal membrane.

PEAK pseudokinases are emerging disease targets, which regulate cell migration and proliferation through protein scaffolding. Here, the authors present the cryo-EM structure of the PEAK3/14-3-3 complex and reveal how 14-3-3 modulates PEAK3 localization and protein-protein interactions.

Nanoparticle surfaces can be engineered for targeted delivery of cancer therapies. In this Review, Gomerdinger, Nabar and Hammond outline the role of surface chemistry at all levels of nanoparticle trafficking, from administration route, to tissue accumulation, cellular targeting and ultimately subcellular localization. They emphasize the utility of non-covalent surface modifications for improving stealth and targeting abilities of nanoparticles for cancer.

Cryo-electron microscopy structures of a folding intermediate on the BAM complex of Escherichia coli reveal how interactions between the BamA catalyst and substrate permit stable association during folding, followed by rapid turnover.

Cation-proton antiporters mediate selective ion exchange across cellular membranes to control pH, salt concentration and cell volume. Here the authors present a transition-path sampling method that overcomes the timescale gap between simulations (µs) and transport processes (s), which allows them to resolve the Na⁺ and H⁺ transport cycle of the Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter NhaP from Pyrococcus abyssi.

Here, the authors provide the structure of mature Coxsackie Virus A10 alone and in complex with its receptor KREMEN1, and of A-particles. This shows how the receptor spans the viral canyon and suggests that receptor binding triggers pocket factor release and conformational changes resulting in expanded particles.

How cells respond to denaturation of extracellular protein domains remained largely unknown. Here, authors describe an aggregation-dependent endocytosis pathway, facilitating uptake and degradation of antibody- and stress-induced protein aggregates.

Using cryo-EM structures, single-molecule fluorescence and electrophysiological studies, Kern et al. show how LRRC8A:C volume-regulated channels assemble into heteromers and use pore-bound lipids to block conduction in a closed state.

A structural and functional analysis of the systems involved in oligosaccharide uptake in gut Bacteroidetes describes multicomponent complexes termed utilisomes that include pre-processing and transport subunits.

Packing nanoparticles into ordered superstructures finds applications in photonic materials, but fabrication over large scales is challenging. Zhao et al. show a roll-to-roll approach to prepare flexible films of ordered polymer nanoparticles via an oscillatory shear-induced structural transition.

Can microwaves from mobile phones damage brain tissue? Daedalus proposes that circularly polarized microwaves at the right frequency could rotate protein molecules with unforeseen consequences.