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The pathogenic mechanisms of cardiorenal syndrome type 4 (CRS4) remain unclear. Here, the authors identify IRF1-PGC1α axis-mediated myocardial energy metabolism remodeling as a contributor to CRS4 pathogenesis, thus providing potential new targets for reducing cardiovascular events in CKD patients.

Little is known about the structure of the APC superfamily of membrane proteins, which transport amino acids, polyamines and organic cations in a multitude of biological roles. Here, the crystal structure of a member of this family, AdiC, is described at 3.2 Å resolution.

The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) is of interest as a drug target. Here, the authors identify GRL0617 as a PPI (protein–protein interaction) inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro that inhibits its deISGylating activity and present the mechanism of action of the compound through the GRL0617-bound PLpro crystal structure and NMR studies.

The high thermal conductivity of graphene is considerably reduced when the two-dimensional material is in contact with a substrate. Here, the authors show that thermal management of a micro heater is improved using graphene-based films covalently bonded by amino-silane molecules to graphene oxide.

Antibody cocktails represent a promising approach to prevent SARS-CoV-2 escape. Here, Ku et al., identify SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies from a phage library and identify an antibody combination that prevents viral escape and protects mice from viral challenge.

High yields of methanol are difficult to achieve with direct oxidation of methane to methanol. Here the authors report a high methanol space-time yield which is attributed to the confinement effect of 6-membered ring voids and the isolated Cu-OH single sites in SSZ−13 zeolite.

While strain engineering via support modification is a powerful strategy to tune catalytic properties, it is complex to control for immobilized molecular complexes. Now the curvature of carbon nanotubes is leveraged to induce strain to metal phthalocyanine complexes and boost their electrocatalytic activity

Understanding heat flow in two-dimensional nanomaterials has wide-ranging implications. Here, the authors show that the thermal conductance of quarter-micron graphene samples is quasi-ballistic, but patterning the graphene into nanoribbons leads to diffusive heat flow strongly limited by edge scattering.

The design of efficient and stable oxygen evolution catalysts has implications for water splitting and metal-air battery technology. Here, the authors fabricate double perovskite nanofibers and demonstrate the favourable effects of co-doping and nanostructuring on oxygen evolution performance.

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a major cause of male infertility. Here, the authors provide insight into the genetic basis of NOA by identifying three new genetic risk loci in a genome-wide association study and reporting a fourth potential NOA susceptibility locus based on a Drosophilaknockdown experiment.

Age-related macular degeneration is a prominent cause of irreversible blindness among the elderly. Here Huang et al.identify a novel missense variant in UBE3D that sheds new light on the pathogenesis of the disease.

Prime editing can efficiently correct the sickle-cell allele to produce wild-type haemoglobin in patient haematopoietic stem cells that engraft efficiently in mice, yielding erythrocytes resistant to hypoxia-induced sickling.

Youwen Zhou and Xue-Jun Zhang and colleagues report a genome-wide association study of generalized vitiligo, a common autoimmune disorder characterized by loss of melanocytes and depigmentation. The authors identify two independent associations within the MHC region and one new susceptibility locus on chromosome 6q27, which contains the genes RNASET2, FGFR1OP and CCR6.

H₂ is regarded as an attractive green fuel and a promising energy carrier for the future. Here, the promotion functions of reverse spillover effects in the H₂ generation reactions over bicomponent catalysts are revealed by performing in situ X ray absorption near edge structure characterization.

Aberrant EGFR activation is commonly found in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here the authors show that E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXL2 targets EGFR and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant mutants for proteasome-mediated degradation to inhibit EGFR-driven NSCLC growth and TKI resistance.

Here, authors solve cryo-EM structures of the central apparatus of motile cilia and analyze its dynamic conformations to elucidate the mechanism of ciliary beating.

Exciton condensation has been observed in various three-dimensional (3D) materials. Now, monolayer WTe₂—a 2D topological insulator—also shows the phenomenon. Strong electronic interactions allow the excitons to form and condense at high temperature.

A general copper-catalysed enantioconvergent C(sp³)–C(sp) cross-coupling of diverse racemic tertiary alkyl halides with terminal alkynes has been developed, forging all-carbon quaternary stereocentres. Key to the success is the rational design of chiral anionic N,N,N-ligands tailor-made for the computationally predicted outer-sphere radical group transfer pathway.

Despite advances in the design of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters for devices, the effect of spin interactions is not well understood. Here, the authors report the role of spin-vibronic coupling in TADF organic emitters using transient electron spin resonance spectroscopy.

The bacterial secondary messenger c-di-AMP can be sensed by cytosolic receptors to activate innate immunity. Fan and colleagues show the ER-associated protein ERAdP to be a high-affinity receptor for c-di-AMP, linking it to downstream inflammatory responses.

Recent studies offer new insight on the mechanisms of IP6-mediated HIV-1 capsid assembly. The immature Gag lattice enables enrichment of IP6 into virions, aiding capsid maturation. Structures of capsid protein (CA) assemblies reveal motifs serving as switches modulating the conformations of CA pentamers/hexamers and affect co-factor accessibility.

Primary microcephaly is a clinical feature of several human telomere disorder syndromes. Here the authors reveal a role of Microcephalin 1 in promoting telomere replication and repair.

Depletion of SAMHD1 has been shown to generate DNA damage and trigger cGAS–STING-mediated immunity. How HIV-2 and SIV bypass this activation, given Vpx-mediated depletion of SAMHD1, is unknown. Vpx is now shown to efficiently inhibit cGAS–STING-induced innate immunity through association with a new STING domain.

In acute myeloid leukemia, hypomethylating agents decitabine and azacytidine are used interchangeably. Here, the authors show that the major metabolite of decitabine, but not azacytidine, is subject to SAMHD1 inactivation, highlighting SAMHD1 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target

The spike protein of coronaviruses (S-protein) is an envelope-anchored trimeric type I transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates receptor binding and the fusion of the viral and host cell membranes. Here the authors report the conformational states of HCoV-229E S trimer and observe the conformational changes in S1 subunit from closed state to activated state for receptor binding.

In situ tuning of the electronic structure of active sites is a long-standing challenge. Here, the authors report an approach to tune the electronic structure of cobalt species during the styrene epoxidation reaction by the introduction of controllable hydrogen spillover for enhanced selectivity.

Evolution of accretion disk and corona during outbursts in black hole binary systems is still unclear. Here, the authors show spectral analysis of MAXI J1820+070 and propose a scenario of a dynamical corona to explain the evolution of the reflection fraction observed by Insight-HXMT.

Smartphone-controlled soft optofluidic probes with replaceable plug-like drug cartridges enable chronic in vivo pharmacology and optogenetics for the selective wireless manipulation of brain circuits in rodents.

This study describes the synaptogenic function of an ErbB2-interacting protein called Erbin, particularly its function in the formation of excitatory synapses on interneurons and its regulation of AMPA-type glutamate receptors through its interaction with the auxiliary AMPA receptor protein TARP γ-2.

A pharmacological screen has identified the histone methyltransferase G9a as a target to reactivate imprinted genes in a mouse model of Prader–Willi Syndrome that improves growth and survival.

Optical experiments on WSe₂/MoSe₂ heterobilayers reveal signatures of moiré trions, including interlayer emission with sharp lines and a complex charge-density dependence, features that differ markedly from those of conventional trions.

Zhenglin Yang and colleagues use whole-exome sequencing to identify a rare variant in the FGD6 gene that is associated with the polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy subtype of wet age-related macular degeneration. They show that FGD6 regulates proangiogenic effects together with VEGF and that the mutation results in abnormal retinal vessel development.

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is involved in the development of some cancers including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Here, the authors show that a direct interaction between the viral protein gB and a host protein, neuropilin 1, is required for EBV infection of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

The microRNA miR-21 is overexpressed in cancer and is thought to function through anti-apoptotic activity. Here, Ma et al. show that deleting or blocking miR-21 in mice protects against acute pancreatitis and TNF-α-induced tissue damage by inhibiting RIP3-dependent regulated necrosis (necroptosis).

Mutations in the cation channel PKD2 cause human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease but its channel function and gating mechanism are poorly understood. Here authors study PKD2 using electrophysiology and cryo-EM, which identifies hydrophobic gates and proposes a gating mechanism for PKD2.

The sequencing and assembly of the highly polymorphic oyster genome through a combination of short reads and fosmid pooling, complemented with extensive transcriptome analysis of development and stress response and proteome analysis of the shell, provides new insight into oyster biology and adaptation to a highly changeable environment.