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This large-scale cross-ancestry genome-wide association study reveals the genetic architecture of serum urate across ancestries and identifies urate-associated diseases and potential targets of urate-lowering drugs.

This report from the 1000 Genomes Project describes the genomes of 1,092 individuals from 14 human populations, providing a resource for common and low-frequency variant analysis in individuals from diverse populations; hundreds of rare non-coding variants at conserved sites, such as motif-disrupting changes in transcription-factor-binding sites, can be found in each individual.

The formation of C-C bonds in fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis depends on β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthases (KSs). Here, the authors present structures of E.coli KSs bound to substrate mimetic bearing ACPs, providing insights into the catalytic mechanism underlying C-C bond forming reactions.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (TOR) functions as an energy sensor and contributes to the control of glucose homeostasis. Here, the authors show that mTOR in the upper small intestine regulates hepatic glucose production and is required for the glucose lowering effect of metformin.

Phylogenomic analysis of 7,923 angiosperm species using a standardized set of 353 nuclear genes produced an angiosperm tree of life dated with 200 fossil calibrations, providing key insights into evolutionary relationships and diversification.

Age related macular degeneration is a common cause of visual impairment in the elderly, but the etiology is not fully understood. Here, the authors use genetic data, serum proteomics, and AMD phenotypic data from a large Icelandic cohort to discover proteins altered in, causally related to AMD or signifying progression of advanced AMD.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) mediates the glucose-lowering effect of the antidiabetic agent metformin, but the sites of action remain unclear. In the March issue of Nature Communications, Zhang and colleagues reported that intestinal epithelium-specific AMPKα1 knockout mice fail to respond to metformin and exhibit disruption in metabolic homeostasis secondary to changes in the gut microbiome. This highlights a therapeutic potential of targeting intestinal AMPK for diabetes.

Extreme warming 56 million years ago may have rendered parts of the subsurface Atlantic Ocean anoxic and toxic to fish due to ammonium and hydrogen sulfide accumulation – a scenario we must strive to prevent under current anthropogenic climate change.

Although vaccination drops COVID-19 mortality in older adults, post-vaccine fatal COVID-19 in nursing home outbreaks was linked to Delta, Gamma and Mu variants, persistently detected in aerosols. Mortality was predicted by IFNB1 or age, ORF7a and ACE2 mRNAs.

Hepatocellular carcinoma has one of the poorest survival rates amongst cancers. Here, the authors highlight the intra-tumour heterogeneity of this disease, finding that spatially closer tumour sectors are genetically more similar and that intra-hepatic metastasis is accompanied by rapid genetic diversification.

Existing methods of zebrafish phenotyping rely on contact-based processes. Here the authors report on an acoustofluidic-based platform which performs contactless specimen rotation, that results in multispectral images for rapid morphological phenotyping of zebrafish larvae.

A transcriptomics study demonstrates cell-type-specific responses to differentially aged blood and shows young blood to have restorative and rejuvenating effects that may be invoked through enhanced mitochondrial function.

There is a need for analytical frameworks to investigate the evolution of complex genetic traits. Here, the authors develop an approach to simultaneously evaluate different evolutionary signatures on trait-associated genetic variants for complex traits and apply it to study spontaneous preterm birth.

Plasma from voluntarily running mice reduces baseline expression of neuroinflammatory genes and experimentally induced brain inflammation when infused into sedentary mice.

Proteomic analysis of paired cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples from 2,171 individuals drawn from multiple cohorts, including the Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium, reveals age-related changes in the ratios of proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma that are associated with cognitive function, enhancing understanding of blood–brain barrier dynamics in aging.

Magnetic brightening enables direct observation of spin-forbidden dark excitons in a monolayer WSe₂.

Achieving extremely fast charging while maintaining high energy density remains a challenge in the battery field. Here the authors conceptualize a porous current collector that successfully reduces the effective Li⁺ transport distance by half, quadrupling the diffusion-limited C-rate capability without compromising battery energy density.

A publicly accessible tool—the TIMES score—for predicting the risk of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma is revealed, providing mechanistic insights into the prognostic patterns for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Developing sustainable strategies to tackle microplastic pollution and advance energy solutions is crucial for a green future. Here, authors designed carbon nitride-supported single-atom iron catalysts, with a tandem catalytic process, for microplastic degradation and green hydrogen production.

Here, the authors demonstrate that inhibition of PTP1B and PTPN2 in tumor cells and T-cells with a small molecule inhibitor represses the growth of immunogenic and cold tumors, and enhances response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy without promoting immune-related toxicities.

The automated synthesis of plasmonic nanoparticles with on-demand properties is a challenging task. Here the authors integrate a fluidic reactor, real-time characterization, and machine learning in a self-driven lab for the photochemical synthesis of nanoparticles with targeted properties.

Shape-changing materials have potential in a range of applications, but these transformations can be challenging to control. Here, the authors report the hydrophobic pseudo-hydrogel, which utilizes absorption-induced expansion via elastocapillarity to enable versatile soft robotic applications.

Data from a variety of sources—including satellite, climate and soil data, as well as field-collected information on plant traits—are pooled and analysed to map the functional diversity of tropical forest canopies globally.

Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission’s impact on asteroid Dimorphos has led to various impact related features. Here, the authors show that those features result naturally from the dynamical interaction of the ejecta with the binary system and solar radiation pressure.

Determining which covalent binding events impact protein function is challenging. Now, a strategy has been reported that integrates base editing and chemical proteomics to infer the functionality of ligandable cysteines in cancer dependency proteins by quantifying the impact of their missense mutation on cancer cell proliferation.

C₂H₄ is one of the most important chemical raw materials. Here, the authors report that tuning of pore structure shifts the multi-component gas separation function, enabling one-step production of high-purity C₂H₄ in the quaternary mixture.

Together with a companion paper, the generation of a transcriptomic atlas for the mouse lemur and analyses of example cell types establish this animal as a molecularly tractable primate model organism.

Apoptosis often requires mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, a process targeted by Bcl-2-binding BH3 mimetics. Here the authors describe and apply 'mito-priming', a method that allows triggering mitochondrial apoptosis in a synchronous manner, facilitating the investigation of mitochondrial apoptosis and its regulation by Bcl-2 proteins.

The tight confinement of polaritons in 2D materials leads to increased optical losses. Here, the authors demonstrate image phonon polariton modes in hexagonal boron nitride with an antisymmetric charge distribution that feature quality factors of up to 501 and an effective index of 132.

A living passivation strategy enables dynamic self-healing of perovskite solar cells to ensure device performance and stability on exposure to heat or moisture.

TMEPro profiles the glycosylated secreted and plasma membrane proteome of 100 human pancreatic tissue samples, defines cell type origins and identifies potential paracrine cross-talk mediated through tyrosine phosphorylation.

In a previous study, the authors developed a next-generation sequencing-based method for tracking SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics. Here, they describe integration of this technology into a clinical pipeline and use it to describe the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Toronto, Canada from 2020 to 2023.

The optical detection of two virulence factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on extracellular vesicles in blood allowed for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in paediatric cases that were missed by clinical microbiological assays.

Mammalian genomes are scattered with repetitive sequences, but their biology remains largely elusive. Here, the authors show that transcription can initiate from short tandem repetitive sequences, and that genetic variants linked to human diseases are preferentially found at repeats with high transcription initiation level.

Quantitative analysis of the methylation of mouse cortical neurons that project to different cortical and subcortical target regions provides insight into genetic mechanisms that contribute to differences in cell function.

Accurate detection of antigen p24 for HIV−1 early diagnosis remains challenging. Here the authors present a click chemistry amplified nanopore (CAN) assay that allows p24 quantification at ultralow concentration range in clinical samples.

Disruption of mucin-domain glycoprotein expression and function in the endothelial glycocalyx are associated with ageing and Alzheimer’s disease, leading to dysregulated blood–brain barrier function.

This study uses epi-retro-seq to link single-cell epigenomes and cell types to long-distance projections for neurons dissected from different regions projecting to different targets across the whole mouse brain.

Viscous Dirac fluid flow in room-temperature graphene is imaged using quantum diamond magnetometry, revealing a parabolic Poiseuille profile for electron flow in a high-mobility graphene channel near the charge-neutrality point.

Together with an accompanying paper presenting a transcriptomic atlas of the mouse lemur, interrogation of the atlas provides a rich body of data to support the use of the organism as a model for primate biology and health.

The goal of the 1000 Genomes Project is to provide in-depth information on variation in human genome sequences. In the pilot phase reported here, different strategies for genome-wide sequencing, using high-throughput sequencing platforms, were developed and compared. The resulting data set includes more than 95% of the currently accessible variants found in any individual, and can be used to inform association and functional studies.

In this work, authors develop a high-efficiency micro-combined heat and power system powered by an opposed-piston engine which enables simultaneous generation of electricity and heating to residential homes or light commercial buildings. The design is shown to be particularly effective for colder climates.

Images collected during NASA’s DART mission of the asteroid Didymos and its moon, Dimorphos, are used to explore the origin and evolution of the binary system. Authors analysis indicate that both asteroids are weak rubble piles and that Didymos’ surface should be about 40 to 130 times older than Dimorphos.

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is characterized by loss of androgen receptor (AR) signaling during neuroendocrine transdifferentiation, resulting in resistance to AR-targeted therapy. Here they report ONECUT2 to drive NEPC tumorigenesis via regulation of hypoxia signaling and tumor hypoxia, and find hypoxia directed therapy to be effective in NEPC.

1000 Genomes imputation can increase the power of genome-wide association studies to detect genetic variants associated with human traits and diseases. Here, the authors develop a method to integrate and analyse low-coverage sequence data and SNP array data, and show that it improves imputation performance.

Nam et al. show that limited glucose availability similar to the tumour microenvironment confers resistance against chemotherapeutic drugs that target DNA synthesis.