Biopolymers in vivo articles from across Nature Portfolio

Septin cages entrap cytosolic pathogens to restrict infection. Here, authors show that Shigella effectors OspCs catalyze ADP-riboxanation of SEPT9 at a critical interface, destabilizing septin octamers to inhibit cage assembly and evade host cell-autonomous immunity.

The viscosity of tumour cells is shown to govern their ability to disseminate through the bloodstream and extravasate, establishing a key biomechanical factor of metastasis.

Gas vesicle protein nanostructures can damage host bacteria when strongly expressed. Here, authors develop a dual-inducer timing circuit that pre-expresses assembly-factor proteins, limiting toxic aggregation while maintaining gas vesicle production.

During mitosis, initially spherical chromosomes fold into visibly cylindrical structures with spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking before resolving into sister chromatids. Here, the authors develop a mechanistic model that captures the roles of distinct active motors in this process and analyze the resulting order, defects, and mechanical properties of the mitotic chromosome structure.

Triggering the natural repair processes in the body has huge potential in tissue regeneration. Here, the authors develop a bone-targeted nanoparticle that selectively eliminates osteoclasts and generates pro-regenerative apoptotic bodies, restoring bone density and treating osteoporosis.

Authors combine neutron scattering and MD simulations to study psychrophilic bacteria, linking proteome dynamics to the state of the proteome folding in the context of differential thermal adaptation.

Ions play a key role in governing the viscoelastic properties and mechanical stability of mitotic chromosomes.

An article in Nature Materials describes the bioprinting of hydrogel force sensors directly into the tissues of live embryos to quantify the mechanical forces driving morphogenesis.

Liquid droplets form in cells to concentrate specific biomolecules (while excluding others) in order to perform specific functions. The molecular mechanisms that determine whether different macromolecules undergo co-partitioning or exclusion has so far remained elusive. Now, two studies uncover key principles underlying this selectivity.

Magnetic tweezer measurements have revealed the forces associated with a star-shaped structure responsible for moving the sperm nucleus to the centre of the egg cell following fertilization.

Spider webs are designed to cope with stress and disruption, favouring repair over rebuilding.