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In this atlas paper, the authors provide a transcriptomic and spatial taxonomy of myeloid cells in the central nervous system of mice and humans in health and pathology.

Microglial states throughout remyelination are incompletely understood. Here, the authors show that microglia form several states during the early stages of remyelination that coalesce into a partially resolved state that is dysregulated with age.

Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) is expressed in immune cells and microglia, where its role remains poorly understood. Here, the authors show that BTK modulates microglial neuroinflammatory pathways relevant to multiple sclerosis (MS) and report robust effects of BTK inhibition in human in vitro models and animal models of MS.

The number of individuals in a given space influences animal interactions and network dynamics. Here the authors identify general rules underlying density dependence in animal networks and reveal some fundamental differences between spatial and social dynamics.

Christopher Hammond and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for myopia and refractive error, identifying a susceptibility locus at 15q25.

A global network of researchers was formed to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity; this paper reports 13 genome-wide significant loci and potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection.

Ticks transmit a large number of pathogens that cause human diseases. Here, the authors sequence the genome of the tick Ixodes scapularisand uncover expansion of genes associated with parasitic processes unique to ticks and tick-host interactions.

Sexual dimorphism in genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia, systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome is linked to differential protein abundance from alleles of complement component 4.

Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Here, the authors carry out a large meta-analysis of genetic data from individuals of European and Asian ancestry and identify 10 new loci associated with vertical cup-disc ratio, a key factor in the clinical assessment of patients with glaucoma.

Iron-laden microglia assume a disease-relevant, ferroptosis-associated signature and cause neurotoxicity. CRISPR screen uncovered regulators of ferroptosis in microglia. This ferroptosis–microglia–neurodegeneration axis could be targeted therapeutically.

Tin Aung, Christopher Hammond and colleagues report the results of a large genome-wide association study of intraocular pressure. They identify four new loci associated with this trait and show that three of these loci are associated with risk of primary open-angle glaucoma.

A population-scale map of gene expression in primary human microglia provides a systematic exploration of microglia diversity and how age, sex, pathology, cortical anatomy and common germline genetic variation influence the microglia transcriptome.

Stephanie London, Martin Tobin and colleagues report meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies for forced vital capacity (FVC), a spirometric measure of pulmonary function that reflects lung volume. They identify six regions newly associated with FVC and demonstrate that candidate genes at these loci are expressed in lung tissue and primary lung cells.

The MAGIC investigators report results of a large genome-wide association study meta-analysis to identify common variants influencing fasting glucose homeostasis. They further show that several of the newly discovered loci influencing glycemic traits are also associated with risk of type 2 diabetes.

Force spectroscopy allows measurement of reaction rates as a function of the restoring force in molecules that have been stretched or compressed, but at present this approach lacks the temporal and spatial resolution to study systematically the reactivities of small functional groups. A molecular force probe — stiff stilbene — that extends force spectroscopy to the size scale of such reactions has now been reported.

Stuart Macregor, Tien Wong and colleagues report meta-analyses that identify 16 new loci associated with central corneal thickness. They also identify two loci associated with risk of developing keratoconus, a common corneal ectasia.

WebSchizophrenia is associated with genetic variation at the major histocompatibility complex locus; this study reveals that alleles at this locus associate with schizophrenia in proportion to their tendency to generate greater expression of complement component 4 (C4A) genes and that C4 promotes the elimination of synpases.

Marsh et al. demonstrate that enzymatic dissociation induces an aberrant ex vivo gene expression signature, most prominently in microglia, which when not addressed can substantially confound downstream analyses. They also identify a similar signature in postmortem human brain in snRNA-seq.

A modular approach for synthesis of proteoglycan glycoconjugates relies on bioorthogonal glycosylation of alkyne-tagged core proteins with azide-tagged glycosaminoglycans to enable the analysis of their functional roles on mammalian cell surfaces.

Caroline Klaver and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for myopia and refractive error in the general population, identifying a susceptibility locus at 15q14.

A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in more than 66,000 individuals identifies 68 new genomic loci that reliably associate with platelet count and volume, and reveals new gene functions.

A new study presents a protocol to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into microglia that closely resemble their in vivo counterparts. These cells offer an exciting new tool for learning more about the role of microglia in disease.

Adam Phillippy, Curtis Van Tassell, Timothy Smith and colleagues present a new reference genome assembly for the domestic goat using a pipeline that improves contiguity of the assembly by more than 250-fold. The pipeline uses a combination of short- and long-read sequencing, optical mapping, and chromatin interaction mapping.

Exome sequencing and copy number analysis are used to define genomic aberrations in early sporadic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; among the findings are mutations in genes involved in chromatin modification and DNA damage repair, and frequent and diverse somatic aberrations in genes known as embryonic regulators of axon guidance.

The genomes of 102 primary pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours have been sequenced, revealing mutations in genes with functions such as chromatin remodelling, DNA damage repair, mTOR activation and telomere maintenance, and a greater-than-expected contribution from germ line mutations.

Biofilms are multifunctional and environmentally responsive assemblies of living and non-living components. By using synthetic gene networks in engineered cells to regulate the production of extracellular amyloid fibrils, and by interfacing the fibrils with inorganic materials such as metal nanoparticles, stimuli-responsive synthetic biofilms with switchable functions and tunable composition and structure have now been produced.

An analysis of 16 health-related quantitative traits in approximately 350,000 individuals reveals statistically significant associations between genome-wide homozygosity and four complex traits (height, lung function, cognitive ability and educational attainment); in each case increased homozygosity associates with a decreased trait value, but no evidence was seen of an influence on blood pressure, cholesterol, or ten other cardio-metabolic traits.

Mario Falchi, Philippe Froguel and colleagues report association of a multi-allelic copy number variant encompassing the salivary amylase gene AMY1 with body mass index and risk of obesity.

Copy number variants (CNVs) account for a major proportion of human genetic diversity and may contribute to genetic susceptibility to disease. Here, a large, genome-wide study of association between common CNVs and eight common human diseases is presented. The study provides a wealth of technical insights that will inform future study design and analysis. The results also indicate that common CNVs that can be 'typed' on existing platforms are unlikely to contribute much to the genetic basis of common diseases.

Heribert Schunkert and colleagues report a meta-analysis of 14 genome-wide association studies of coronary disease (CAD) followed by replication in additional cohorts. They confirm 10 previously associated loci and identify 13 loci newly associated with CAD.

Diffuse white matter injury is common in very preterm infants; here, enhanced epidermal growth factor receptor signalling in oligodendrocyte precursor cells in a mouse model of such injury is shown to increase cellular and functional recovery.

RNA molecules can perform multiple functions, which can be driven by different conformational states; here, the crystal structure of the transfer-RNA-like structure of the turnip yellow mosaic virus is solved, providing insight into the structural basis of RNA multifunctionality.

The UK IBD Genetics Consortium and the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 report results of a genome-wide association study of ulcerative colitis. They identify three new loci associated with the disease, including the HNF4A region on 20q13.