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mRNA modifications like m⁵C are typically introduced by tRNA-modifying enzymes, while the catalytic mechanism and function remain debated. Here, the authors show that NSUN6 catalyzes tRNA and mRNA substrates in different ways, and that NSUN6 promotes breast cancer cell migration through mRNA m⁵C modification.

Muons are conventionally produced from cosmic rays or with a proton accelerator. Now a proof-of-principle experiment demonstrates the feasibility of muon production with a laser-driven electron beam with gigaelectronvolt energy in a lead converter target.

Microscale ferroelectric topological textures in freestanding BaTiO₃ nanomembranes enable dynamic vortex light manipulation via nonlinear spin-to-orbit conversion.

High-quality, non-layered 2D β-Bi₂O₃ crystals are grown using a vapour–liquid–solid–solid growth technique. These crystals demonstrate promising properties for p-channel field-effect transistors.

Worldwide, the number of only-child families is increasing. This research examines how growing up without siblings affects adult brain structure, function and connectivity, cognition, personality and mental health.

Socioeconomic status is multidimensional and can change over time. Xu, Lui, Ji et al. found dimension-specific, late-stage-specific and change-specific socioeconomic effects on brain, cognition, personality and emotion.

Multivalent interactions are crucial in transcriptional regulation. Here, by integrating specific multivalent molecules into dCas9-based activators, the authors provide valuable strategies to refine CRISPRa applications and achieve highly efficient gene transcription.

Here the authors report on an RNA-seq benchmarking study that demonstrates greater inter-lab variations in detecting subtle differential expression. The study reveals the impact of experimental execution, experimental designs, low-expression gene filtering, and analysis tool selection.

piRNA processing factors and piRNA/PIWI complex are found in intermitochondrial cement (IMC) and chromatoid body (CB). Here, the authors show that piRNA loading orchestrates MIWI translocation from the IMC to CB, demonstrating its crucial role in spermatogenesis.

Experiments using DNA barcoding for lineage tracing in mouse models of colorectal cancer reveal polyclonal origins of premalignant lesions, with a transition to monoclonality as they progress to the advanced tumour.

Cryo-EM structures covering full-length yeast Smc5/6 in three states and the accompanying mutagenesis data reveal multiple new structural and functional features of this unique SMC complex.

The authors investigate how the transcription machinery selects the correct direction to produce coding transcripts. Their results propose a universal mechanism by which Integrator licenses bidirectional transcription to determine the direction of eukaryotic pre-mRNA transcription.

Observational analyses from the China Kadoorie Biobank found that alcohol consumption was associated with higher risks of 61 diseases in Chinese men, with most of these associations confirmed by genetic analyses.

Cross-ancestry genome-wide association studies of 3,414 brain imaging phenotypes in Chinese Han and white British participants identify autosomal and X-chromosomal associations in more diverse populations.

A dataset of the genomes of 363 species from the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project shows increased power to detect shared and lineage-specific variation, demonstrating the importance of phylogenetically diverse taxon sampling in whole-genome sequencing.

Lysine benzoylation (Kbz) is a recently discovered histone modification. Here, the authors characterize writers, erasers and readers of histone Kbz in S. cerevisiae and identify non-histone proteins bearing Kbz, laying foundations to dissect the roles of Kbz in diverse cellular processes.

S. cerevisiae TBP associated factor 14 (Taf14) is a transcriptional regulator that interacts with multiple nuclear complexes. Here, the authors report that the extra-terminal ___domain of Taf14 (Taf14_ET) recognizes a common motif in various transcriptional coactivator proteins and they solve the NMR structure of Taf14_ET bound the ET-binding motif of Sth1, the catalytic subunit of the RSC (Remodel the Structure of Chromatin) complex, and furthermore show that Taf14_ET undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation, which is enhanced by Taf14 interaction partners.

Cholangiocarcinoma can arise anywhere within the biliary tree and is classified by anatomical locations. Here, the authors utilised RNAseq from 438 CCA patients and propose a molecular classification system independent of ___location.

Parrots have undergone substantial karyotype evolution compared to most other birds. Here, Huang et al. analyze chromosome-level genome assemblies for four parrot species and elucidate the complex evolutionary history of parrot chromosomes.

Ma et al. show that acetylation of PRDM16 via acetyl-CoA, derived from branched-chain keto acids, impairs PRDM16–PPAR interaction, thus linking the BCAA–BCKA axis to the regulation of white adipose tissue browning.

Genome-wide association meta-analyses in populations of East Asian and European ancestries identify variant–trait associations for 44 hippocampal traits and provide insight into the genetic architectures of hippocampal and subfield volumes.

The effect of head positioning in acute stroke is controversial. Here, the authors report the results of a clinical trial suggesting that the procedure, initiated within 24 hours of onset, is safe and feasible, but does not improve functional outcome in acute moderate stroke patients with large artery atherosclerosis.

This work identifies a role for Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission for promoting stress susceptibility in male mice.

Achieving rapid, robust, and universal hydrogel adhesion poses challenges for nanoparticle-based glues. Here, the authors present nanohesives that can adhere to diverse surfaces without pre-treatment based on hydrogel mechanics design and interface chemistry modification.

Soft robots are challenging to model and program. Non-specialists face non-negligible obstacles when working with soft robots to perform tasks. Here, the authors propose a method to interactively teach soft robots complex motions through flexible touchless and tactile multimodal sensors.

Low-cost targeted approach to construct haplotype-resolved assemblies is needed to facilitate population genetic studies. Here, the authors demonstrate assembling high-quality MHC haplotypes with CRISPR-based enrichment and long-read sequencings.

The success of engineered tissue depends on the integration of a dense vascular network to supply nutrients and remove waste products. Here the authors design high density microvascular meshes made through an anchored self-assembly mechanism, and use these meshes to support subcutaneous pancreatic islet survival in a mouse diabetes model.

The transcription factor retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRα) can also form homotetramers. Here the authors show that the anti-cancer agent K-80003 selectively inhibits the nongenomic action of N-terminally-cleaved RXRα in tumour cells by stabilizing its tetramerization but not that of full-length RXRα.

The Quartet reference materials enable the integration and standardization of multiomics datasets acquired over a variety of instruments, samples and methods and the quantitative comparison of RNA sequencing data across laboratories.

How phase separation participates in mitophagy remains unclear. Here the authors show that Nur77 and p62/SQSTM1 through “head-to-head” and “tail-to-tail” interactions form membraneless condensates capable of sequestering dysfunctional mitochondria and tethering them to autolysosome for degradation.

A large-scale single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the non-human primate Macaca fascicularis encompasses over 1 million cells from 45 adult tissues.

Nanostructured electrode materials pose several challenges, including poor volumetric performance, severe side reactions, high costs, and complexity. Here, the authors develop a micrometer-sized bulk hexagonal molybdenum oxide with unconventional charge storage mechanism for fast and stable proton storage.

A sequence licking task reveals a set of key cortical regions for the coding of movement sequences in mice.

Effective anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is associated with the presence of polyclonal CD8⁺ T cells in the tumour and blood specific for a limited number of immunodominant mutations, which are recurrently recognized over time.

Cobalt(II) complexes of porphyrins have dominated the development of metalloradical catalysts. Now it has been shown that five-coordinate iron(III) complexes of porphyrins with an axial ligand are also potent metalloradical catalysts for olefin cyclopropanation. They are shown to react with different classes of diazo compounds via a stepwise radical mechanism.

In vivo decorporation of U(VI) from bones is an unsolved challenge because of the formation of stable uranium phosphate complexes. Here, the authors develop a hydroxypyridonone-based ligand with strong uranium complexation and low cytotoxicity. They find this ligand effectively removes uranium from kidney and bones in mice, and is suitable for oral administration.

Direct methanol fuel cells are promising for clean, sustainable energy, but catalysts should be optimized. Here the authors construct ultrathin nanoframes with rich crystalline defects to increase electrocatalytic activity of gold for methanol oxidation, which is surprisingly promoted by carbon monoxide.

Direct removal of ⁹⁹TcO₄⁻ from highly radioactive and acidic nuclear waste solutions is beneficial for uranium and plutonium recovery and radioactive pollution control but this represents a huge challenge. Here the authors show a cationic polymeric network with high ⁹⁹TcO₄⁻ sorption capability and stability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has stopped many human activities, which has had significant impact on emissions of greenhouse gases. Here, the authors present daily estimates of country-level CO₂ emissions for different economic sectors and show that there has been a 8.8% decrease in global CO2 emissions in the first half of 2020.

Gene-circuit-based sensors have, to date, largely relied on optical proteins (such as green fluorescent protein) to report the output, which limits the signalling bandwidth. Now, an electrochemical output has been developed and integrated with cell-free gene circuits. This approach enables multiplexing of sensors and introduces the possibility of electronic-based logic, memory and response elements to synthetic biology.

A clinical language model trained on unstructured clinical notes from the electronic health record enhances prediction of clinical and operational events.