Search

The scaffold protein AXIN can promote the formation of two opposing complexes: the Wnt signalosome and a degradation complex that inhibits Wnt. Here, the authors show that mechanical compression and the presence/absence of Wnt ligand are inputs in a circuit that acts as a logic gate to control which complex is formed.

Population-scale WGS reveals genetic determinants of persistent EBV DNA, linking immune regulation—especially antigen processing and MHC class II variation—to EBV persistence and heterogeneous disease associations.

A new architecture based on high-valence sulfur/sulfur tetrachloride cathode chemistry is described for manufacturing high-voltage anode-free sodium–sulfur batteries, demonstrating promise for applications in grid energy storage and wearable electronics.

Synthesis of urea through the electrochemical co-reduction of abundant CO₂ and nitrates offers an eco-friendly alternative to existing technologies. The authors use ionic liquids to construct molecular bridges between the catalyst’s active sites and the reactants, thereby enhancing urea production.

Compact laser-wakefield-driven X-ray sources show promise but suffer from poor conversion efficiency. New research demonstrates high-yield, hard X-rays generated by using carbon nanotube targets, instead of gases.

Wang et al. profile age-dependent miRNAomic changes in worm tissues and extracellular vesicles (EVs). They show that ageing controls miRNAs in a tissue-specific manner and their findings further suggest a complex EV-mediated miRNA trafficking network across tissues.

An RNA codon-expansion strategy enables incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into proteins of interest orthogonally to existing methods by inserting pseudouridine codons into specific mRNA transcripts and using an engineered decoder tRNA.

The retention of galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) in the mesangium leads to pathogenesis in IgA nephropathy. Here the authors report that Gd-IgA1 is internalized by mesangial cells potentially via transferrin receptor 1, forming aggregates that disrupt lysosomal function and elicit inflammation.

The flagship paper of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium describes the generation of the integrative analyses of 2,658 cancer whole genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types, the structures for international data sharing and standardized analyses, and the main scientific findings from across the consortium studies.

With the generation of large pan-cancer whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing projects, a question remains about how comparable these datasets are. Here, using The Cancer Genome Atlas samples analysed as part of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project, the authors explore the concordance of mutations called by whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing techniques.

Exploring how aging compromises antitumor immunity, the authors reveal an age-related impairment of cytotoxic CD8⁺ T_RM cells in mouse tumor models and clinical samples. They implicate BFAR signaling and show that targeting BFAR restores T_RM generation and tumor control.

Here the authors design an mRNA based RSV vaccine, expressing a truncated membrane-anchored version of the stabilized pre-F protein, and demonstrate strong humoral and Th1-skewed T-cell responses in small animal models without signs of vaccine-enhanced respiratory disease.

Several electrochromic material systems have been described but the electrochromic phenomenon has rarely been observed in non-metallic elemental substances. Here, the authors describe iodine electrodeposition-based electrochromic windows using a water-in-salt electrolyte containing iodine ions, achieving optical contrast, near colour neutrality, and excellent cycling stability.

Solar cells based on 3D/2D perovskite heterostructures show promising performance, but ion diffusion limits the device stability. Now Luo et al. suppress ion diffusion by inserting a cross-linked polymer between the 2D and 3D layers, improving the operational stability.

Understanding deregulation of biological pathways in cancer can provide insight into disease etiology and potential therapies. Here, as part of the PanCancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) consortium, the authors present pathway and network analysis of 2583 whole cancer genomes from 27 tumour types.

Analyses of 2,658 whole genomes across 38 types of cancer identify the contribution of non-coding point mutations and structural variants to driving cancer.

Integrative analyses of transcriptome and whole-genome sequencing data for 1,188 tumours across 27 types of cancer are used to provide a comprehensive catalogue of RNA-level alterations in cancer.

Analysis of cancer genome sequencing data has enabled the discovery of driver mutations. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium the authors present DriverPower, a software package that identifies coding and non-coding driver mutations within cancer whole genomes via consideration of mutational burden and functional impact evidence.

Whole-genome sequencing data for 2,778 cancer samples from 2,658 unique donors across 38 cancer types is used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of cancer, revealing that driver mutations can precede diagnosis by several years to decades.

The authors present SVclone, a computational method for inferring the cancer cell fraction of structural variants from whole-genome sequencing data.

Multi-omics datasets pose major challenges to data interpretation and hypothesis generation owing to their high-dimensional molecular profiles. Here, the authors develop ActivePathways method, which uses data fusion techniques for integrative pathway analysis of multi-omics data and candidate gene discovery.

In this study the authors consider the structural variants (SVs) present within cancer cases of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium. They report hundreds of genes, including known cancer-associated genes for which the nearby presence of a SV breakpoint is associated with altered expression.

Cancers evolve as they progress under differing selective pressures. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, the authors present the method TrackSig the estimates evolutionary trajectories of somatic mutational processes from single bulk tumour data.

Agricultural diversification can enhance ecosystem services, provide socio-economic benefits and increase yields in major cropping systems. This study synthesizes research about the effects of agricultural diversification on global rice production and shows that diversification can increase biodiversity by 40%, improve economy by 26% and reduce crop damage by 31%.

Baseline performance, benchmarks, and guidance for LLMs in biomedicine are limited. The authors assess four LLMs on 12 tasks, establish baselines, examine hallucinations, and provide recommendations for optimal LLM use.

There’s an emerging body of evidence to show how biological sex impacts cancer incidence, treatment and underlying biology. Here, using a large pan-cancer dataset, the authors further highlight how sex differences shape the cancer genome.

In somatic cells the mechanisms maintaining the chromosome ends are normally inactivated; however, cancer cells can re-activate these pathways to support continuous growth. Here, the authors characterize the telomeric landscapes across tumour types and identify genomic alterations associated with different telomere maintenance mechanisms.

Whole-genome sequencing data from more than 2,500 cancers of 38 tumour types reveal 16 signatures that can be used to classify somatic structural variants, highlighting the diversity of genomic rearrangements in cancer.

Viral pathogen load in cancer genomes is estimated through analysis of sequencing data from 2,656 tumors across 35 cancer types using multiple pathogen-detection pipelines, identifying viruses in 382 genomic and 68 transcriptome datasets.

A pan-cancer genomic analysis reports the effects of structural variations on chromatin domains (TADs). Most TAD disruptions do not result in appreciable changes in expression of nearby genes.

An analysis of 2,954 genomes from 38 cancer subtypes identified 19,166 retrotransposition events in 35% of samples. Aberrant LINE-1 retrotranspositions can lead to the deletion of tumor-suppressor genes as well as the amplification of oncogenes.

Some cancer patients first present with metastases where the location of the primary is unidentified; these are difficult to treat. In this study, using machine learning, the authors develop a method to determine the tissue of origin of a cancer based on whole sequencing data.

Many tumours exhibit hypoxia (low oxygen) and hypoxic tumours often respond poorly to therapy. Here, the authors quantify hypoxia in 1188 tumours from 27 cancer types, showing elevated hypoxia links to increased mutational load, directing evolutionary trajectories.

The characterization of 4,645 whole-genome and 19,184 exome sequences, covering most types of cancer, identifies 81 single-base substitution, doublet-base substitution and small-insertion-and-deletion mutational signatures, providing a systematic overview of the mutational processes that contribute to cancer development.

Multiple algorithms exist for predicting heterogeneity and clonal architecture from the bulk sequencing of tumor tissue. Here, the authors report on an algorithm, FastClone, which was developed from a DREAM challenge and show that FastClone can accurately predict clonality in simulated data and data from colon cancer.

The genome of the tropical blue-petal water lily Nymphaea colorata and the transcriptomes from 19 other Nymphaeales species provide insights into the early evolution of angiosperms.

Lymphatic vessels are vital in the musculoskeletal system, but their role in bone repair is unclear. Here the authors found early lymphatic drainage insufficiency in fractures impacts osteoblast survival and stem cell proliferation by modulating the hematoma niche via DAMP transport.

Indole-5,6-quinone (IQ) is a long-sought intermediate and structural subunit of eumelanin pigments whose instability has precluded isolation and characterization. It has now been shown that a sterically shielded derivative of IQ exhibits hallmark eumelanin properties, including near-infrared absorption, ultrafast nonradiative decay and a persistent semiquinone radical formed by comproportionation.

There are limited prevention or treatment options for PRRSV. Here, the authors identified nitazoxanide as a promising inhibitor of PRRSV and demonstrate its antiviral efficacy in reducing PRRSV replication and transmission in vivo.

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.

In eukaryotes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulators of gene expression. Here the authors identify lncRNAs implicated in pathogenicity and sexual differentiation of the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum, opening novel avenues towards therapeutic strategies.

Xuejun Zhang, Jun Wang, Liangdan Sun, Lennart Hammarström and colleagues sequence the MHC region in 20,635 Han Chinese individuals. Their Han-MHC database allows identification of new susceptibility loci for psoriasis and could serve as a tool for investigating the role of the MHC region in other complex diseases.

NF-YA responds to TGFβ1 and IL-6 signals to regulate Klhl25 transcription, thereby controlling ACLY ubiquitination and the transition of fatty acids metabolism, which constitutes a determinant for the fate decision of iTreg/Th17 differentiation.