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Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common coloniser of the human nasopharynx, but it also causes severe diseases. Here, Weight et al. use an experimental human pneumococcal carriage model to show that bacterial colonisation is associated with invasion of the epithelium and enhancement of immune responses.

Functional systematic pseudotype virus-based analysis of the ability of diverse animal viruses to enter into a panel of well-characterized human cell lines shows a broad compatibility between animal virus receptor-binding proteins and human cell entry factors.

An insertion of an Alu element into an intron of the TBXT gene is identified as a genetic mechanism of tail-loss evolution in humans and apes, with implications for human health today.

Prophylactic HPV vaccines are provisionally recommended as a one-dose schedule in girls. Here, the authors report sustained immune memory and increased IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies six years following one dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in Fijian girls.

Jeremy Green and colleagues determine that the mechanism establishing the pattern of rugae on the embryonic vertebrate palate is an activator-inhibitor reaction-diffusion mechanism rather than an alternative pattern signaling system, such as lateral inhibition.

Cross-protective responses across all strains of influenza virus (IAV, IBV and ICV) are a key goal of universal vaccines against influenza. Kedzierska and colleagues identify cytotoxic T cells present in blood and lungs of healthy people that are directed against all strains of influenza virus.

The reduced Equator-to-pole temperature gradient during the Eocene greenhouse climate was maintained by elevated atmospheric humidity, according to temperature and precipitation isotope estimates from terrestrial siderite clumped isotopes.

In a first-in-human, phase I trial in patients with B-cell lymphoma, CD19 CAR T cells with fully human binding domains exhibit lower neurologic toxicity, but similar clinical activity, to previously tested CD19 CAR T cells with murine binding domains.

Low dose-radiation therapy (LDRT) can promote anti-tumor immune responses. Here the authors propose to combine the immunostimulatory properties of LDRT with the cell killing/shrinkage properties of high dose RT within the same tumor mass as a strategy to optimize RT-induced anti-tumor immune responses.

Computationally designed protein binders with high affinity for overexpressed antigens on tumour cells in glioblastoma enhance the antitumour activity of cytotoxic T cells with chimeric antigen receptors.

A high-bandwidth neuromotor interface offers performant out-of-the-box generalization across people.

Retrosynthetic pathway design using promiscuous enzymes can provide a solution to the biosynthetic production of natural products. Here, the authors design a pathway for the production of cis-α-irone with a promiscuous methyltransferase using structure-guided enzyme engineering strategies.

Two doses of the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 boost antibody responses and functions in phase 1/2 trial participants.

A phase I trial of a neoantigen-targeting personalized cancer vaccine led to durable and polyfunctional T cell responses and antitumour recognition, and was associated with no recurrence in patients with high-risk clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Population mobility is associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission but its impacts on other respiratory viruses are not well understood. Here, the authors investigate associations between mobile phone-derived mobility metrics and the dynamics of 18 respiratory viruses in Seattle, Washington from 2018 to 2022.

This work uses deep learning on satellite imagery to map well pads and storage tanks in two major U.S. basins. The resulting data fills large gaps in existing databases, a crucial step for improving methane emission estimates and source attribution.

Jayavelu, Samaha et al., apply machine learning models on hospital admission data, including antibody titers and viral load, to identify patients at high risk for Long COVID. Low antibody levels, high viral loads, chronic diseases, and female sex are key predictors, supporting early, targeted interventions.

Multivariate genome-wide association analyses of the latent genetic architecture of frailty identify one general factor of genetic overlap across all frailty deficits and six factors indexing a shared genetic signal across specific groups of deficits.

Urinary metabolic phenotyping of 1,848 adults in the United States shows that 46 structurally identified metabolites were influenced by intakes of 67 nutrients, and accurately predicted healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns. These urinary biomarkers are diet-derived, stable, measurable and associated with disease risk, thereby representing an advance on traditional ways of obtaining information about dietary patterns.

A combination of 3D whale locations and acoustic measurements of prey density is used here to show that whales’ consumption of krill is several times larger than often thought.

The authors perform single-cell RNA-seq of the mouse neocortex at an embryonic time point and at birth, and identify new and known cell types, and cell relatedness within and across age. These data serve as a resource to understand brain development and the cellular origins of brain diseases.

In June 2022, the IXPE satellite observed a shock passing through the jet of active galaxy Markarian 421. The rotation of the X-ray-polarized radiation over a 5-day period revealed that the jet contains a helical magnetic field.

In the United States and India, people's folk conceptions of nationality are flexible, seeing it as more biological and fixed at birth or cultural and fluid, depending on the scenario. Belief in fluidity predicts positive attitudes to immigration.

The milli-spinner thrombectomy facilitates fast, complete clot removal by using spinning-induced compression and shear forces to mechanically modify the clot microstructure through densifying the fibrin network and releasing red blood cells, thus reducing clot volume.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b underwent an explosive geographic expansion in 2021 among wild birds and domestic poultry. Here, Kandeil et al. show that the Western movement of this clade was followed by reassortment with viruses circulating in wild birds in North America which resulted in different genotypes exhibiting a wide range of disease severity in mammal models (mice, ferrets, chicken) ranging from asymptomatic disease to severe neurological pathology.

A phase 2 study testing glucagon receptor antagonist volagidemab as an adjunct to insulin therapy in patients was found to be safe and tolerable. Although the primary endpoint of reduction in daily insulin usage was not met, volagidemab therapy was associated with improved glycaemic control compared to placebo.

Heterozygous mutations in the mechanoenzyme dynamin (DNM2) manifest as either a myopathy or a peripheral neuropathy. Here, the authors show antagonistic effects of these mutations and combining them, in mice, mitigates the phenotypic manifestations observed in individual mutants.

Transancestral GWAS meta-analysis in 160,420 individuals identifies 139 loci associated with refractive error, including myopia. Newly identified genes implicate pathways involved in eye growth and light signaling cascades.

Characteristic genes or proteins driving continuous biological processes are difficult to uncover from noisy single-cell data. Here, authors present DELVE, an unsupervised feature selection method to identify core molecular features driving cell fate decisions.

Astroviruses are the leading cause of pediatric diarrhea, but which cells are the main targets in the gut remains unclear. Here, using an in vivo model of murine astrovirus, the authors show that the virus infects goblet cells and that this alters mucus production and increases mucus-associated bacterial communities in the gut.

Bioconjugation is a promising process to manufacture conjugate vaccines, but currently employed enzymes cannot generate the full spectrum of bacterial glycoproteins. Here, the authors use an O-linking oligosaccharyltransferase to generate a polyvalent pneumococcal bioconjugate vaccine with polysaccharides containing glucose at their reducing end.

Skokowa et al. reconstruct the fold of a granulopoietic cytokine, resulting in de novo, hyperstable, highly active proteins with therapeutic potential for treating several neutropenia disorders.

Ependymoma is a tumor of the brain or spinal cord with the two most common and aggressive types mainly occurring in children. Here the authors employ 3D genomics and epigenomics to reveal targets for aggressive ependymoma tumors in children.

Genetically-encoded indicators with more red-shifted excitation and emission wavelengths are advantageous for in vivo imaging. Here, Dalangin et al. report the engineering of far-red fluorescent Ca2+ indicators and demonstrate their utility for monitoring of all-optical cardiac pacing in embryonic zebrafish.

Pangenome analyses of 133 wild accessions of the model bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha identify adaptive features and provide insights into the mechanisms of plant adaptation to the terrestrial environment.

Lipid nanoparticles carrying plasmid DNA and an inflammation inhibitor enable longer transgene expression than mRNA nanoparticles.

Modulation of peripheral nervous system signalling has many applications in medicine, neurobiology and machine-man interfaces. Here the authors develop a microscale implantable device for chronic interfacing with a small diameter nerve, and show multi-week in vivo recording and control of activity.

Here the authors profile skin microenvironment changes in response to spaceflight by performing a multi omics analysis using skin punch biopsies from the crew members of SpaceX Inspiration4 mission comparing before, post launch and one day after return 91 of the 3-day mission.

The extrusion of large extracellular vesicles is an important mechanism that facilitates cell-to-cell communication and maintains homoeostasis. Here, Atkin-Smith et al. use intravital microscopy to directly visualize the formation of large extracellular vesicles in bone marrow.

A cell-based phenotypic screen led to the discovery of compounds called NVS-STGs, which bind to the N-terminal domain of STING and act as a molecular glue to induce higher-order oligomerization and activation.

Multiple omics platforms and deep single-cell profiling in the I4 astronauts reveal both conserved and distinct immune system disruptions across missions, provide a single-cell immune reference for future missions.

This study examines long-term impacts of ‘redlining’, the historical practice of assigning values to residential areas in US cities based on race and class, on the vulnerability of communities to climate risks. Findings reveal that areas marked by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation as being less desirable for investment in the 1930s–1940s face disproportionately higher current and projected risks of flooding and extreme heat, in part due to their lessened environmental capital.

Lymphocyte homing to the gut and Peyer’s patches requires expression of integrin α₄β₇. Ballet and colleagues report that B cell expression of CD22 is required to specifically retain surface expression of β₇ integrin molecules, thereby promoting B cell retention in the gut and optimal gut mucosal antibody responses.

It is unclear whether climate driven phenological shifts of tundra plants are consistent across the plant growing season. Here the authors analyse data from a network of field warming experiments in Arctic and alpine tundra, finding that warming differentially affects the timing and duration of reproductive and vegetative phenology.

Here the authors report spaceflight secretome profiles by integrating plasma proteome, metabolome, and extracellular vesicles/particles proteome from the SpaceX Inspiration4 crew, which showed differences in coagulation, oxidative stress, and brain-enriched proteins.

Jeremy Reiter and colleagues show that Tctn1 is a component of a transition zone complex that regulates ciliogenesis and ciliary membrane composition. They also identify a likely causal mutation in TCTN1 in two siblings with Joubert syndrome.

The genomic and epigenomic landscape during metastasis in osteosarcoma remains to be investigated. Here, functional and pharmacological studies identify the dynamic epigenomic changes and gene vulnerabilities during the formation of osteosarcoma tumours in the lung microenvironment.

Scott Jackson, Jeremy Schmutz, Phillip McClean and colleagues report the genome sequence of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and resequenced wild individuals and landraces from Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools, showing that common bean underwent two independent domestications.