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Drug tolerance to KRAS inhibition remains a major challenge in cancer therapy. Here the authors find that KRAS inhibition induces a cellular state characterized by enhanced ribosome biogenesis in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer cells and these cells are vulnerable to inhibition of RNA polymerase I.

A genome-wide association study highlights a variant in DOCK2, which is common in East Asian populations but rare in Europeans, as a host genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19.

Early Holocene retreat of an ice shelf in East Antarctica was linked to ocean-driven forcing enhanced by ice-sheet meltwater from adjoining regions, as unveiled through the integration of proxy records with ocean and climate modelling.

In two-dimensional spin-polarized systems, the valleys in the conduction bands could be useful for spintronics applications if they can be efficiently spin polarized. Here, the authors exploit the Rashba effect to achieve 100% spin-polarized valleys on a silicon surface loaded with thallium.

A photonic-crystal platform enables attojoule-energy electro-optic modulators and amplifier-free photoreceivers.

Genetic mechanisms influencing COVID-19 susceptibility are not well understood. Here, the authors analyzed whole blood RNA-seq data of 465 Japanese individuals with COVID-19, highlighting thousands of fine-mapped variants affecting expression and splicing of genes, as well as the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs.

A single-cell multiomic immune cell atlas from 235 Japanese, including patients with COVID-19 and healthy individuals, linked with host genetics including germline and somatic mutation, plasma proteomics and metagenomics data reveals that immune cells are dynamically regulated in a cell state-dependent manner.

A close-up look at the action of space weathering on carbonaceous asteroids, provided by Ryugu’s returned samples, highlights its role on the dehydration of the first micrometre-thick layer of the surface, possibly hiding a water-rich interior. The depth of the 2.7 µm hydration band may be an indication of the level of space weathering withstood by a C-type asteroid.

The sample taken from carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu and brought back to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft contains outer Solar System-derived materials uncontaminated by terrestrial processes. Even CI carbonaceous chondrites, despite their closeness to solar abundances, are not pristine.

Analysis of the blood DNA virome in patients with COVID-19 and autoimmune disease associates endogenous HHV-6 (eHHV-6) and high anellovirus load with increased disease risk, most notably for systemic lupus erythematosus. eHHV-6 carriers show a distinct immune response.

Thermal imaging data obtained from the spacecraft Hayabusa2 reveal that the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu is an object of unusually high porosity.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 73 Japanese patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 75 healthy controls were analyzed using single-cell transcriptomics. Combining these data with genotyping data highlights the interplay between host genetics and the immune response in modulating disease severity.

The Totten Glacier in East Antarctica is grounded below sea level and vulnerable to ocean forcing. Observations and simulations demonstrate warm water access from offshore to the glacier, facilitated by deep topography off the Sabrina Coast.

Hybrid silicon optical modulator brings efficiency benefits.

The mechanisms maintaining peroxisomal membrane proteins remain to be fully elucidated. Here, the authors report that p97/VCP and FAF2/UBXD8 modulate the turnover of peroxisomal membrane proteins to prevent autophagic degradation of peroxisomes.

Serial femtosecond crystallography reveals the structural dynamics of photosystem II during the S-state transitions that produce dioxygen, providing insight into electron transfer, water insertion, proton release and O–O bond formation on sub-microsecond timescales.

A subset of Macro-positive macrophages is identified to have immunosuppressive functions in the periportal vein zones of the liver to mediate excessive inflammation, and their effects depend on commensal gut bacteria.

Self-incompatibility responses in Brassica are induced by haplotype-specific interactions between the pistil-expressed SRK receptor and pollen-expressed SP11 ligand. Here, via crystal structures and molecular dynamic simulations, the authors provide a model to explain why binding of cognate partners is favoured and how haplotypes can be distinguished.

Quantum repeaters are needed for long-distance quantum communication but it is thought that they require matter quantum memories. Azuma et al. introduce an all-photonic quantum repeater based on flying qubits that scales polynomially with the channel distance without the need for matter quantum memories.

EAF2 has been previously known as a transcriptional elongation factor and a proapoptotic gene lost in prostate cancer. Here the authors show that EAF2 is required for apoptosis of germinal centre B cells, and that EAF2-deficient mice develop excessive antibody responses and autoimmunity.

Access to quantum computers has been democratized by the availability of cloud services from commercial providers, but the numbers of qubits users can exploit have remained modest, limited by noise and errors. What are these qubits used for and what can we expect next?

The [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization of two distinct alkynes and alkenes to form six-membered carbocycles is typically constrained by competing β-hydride elimination, low stereocontrol and the need to add reagents slowly. Now, a rhodium-catalysed three-component [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization with excellent chemo-, regio- and stereocontrol is reported that does not require any special operations. The utility of the process is shown and mechanistic studies probe the origins of the selectivity.

The significance of rare and de novo variants in bipolar disorder is not well understood. Here, the authors have analyzed whole exome/genome data from trios to identify deleterious de novo variants associated with bipolar disorder.

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned 5.4 g of material from the asteroid Ryugu. A first analysis of the samples found an estimated density of 1,282 ± 231 kg m⁻³, considerably lower than even the most porous meteorites. Together with preliminary spectral analysis, these results indicate that Ryugu is similar to CI chondrites, but darker, more porous and more brittle.

Directly modulated membrane distributed reflector lasers are fabricated on a silicon carbide platform. The 3 dB bandwidth, four-level pulse-amplitude modulation speed and operating energy for transmitting one bit are 108 GHz, 256 Gbit s⁻¹ and 475 fJ, respectively.

Properties of perovskite oxides can be changed by manipulating anion-vacancy order patterns, but they are difficult to control. Here the authors show strain-induced creation and switching of anion vacancies in perovskite films in which the direction or periodicity of anion-vacancy planes is altered depending on the substrate employed.

Arisa Ikeda et al. investigate the accuracy of genome editing in mouse zygotes with the Cas9 variant, HypaCas9, which was previously reported to show high fidelity in cultured cells. They find that HypaCas9 avoids off-target editing, even in the presence of a single mismatch.

The Antarctic temperature record displays a puzzling asynchrony with changes in CO₂ through glacial cycles. Here, the authors show that a 720,000-year Antarctic temperature record is affected by variations in obliquity-induced local insolation that are associated with phase modulation of eccentricity cycle.

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) defend against pathogens in the gut, and their differentiation depends on both diet and microbiota-derived factors. Nakajima et al. show that signalling through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator and STAT3 is required for the development of a subset of IELs.