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Biochemical characterization of glycogen-degrading enzymes in vaginal bacteria reveals that the vaginal microbiota possesses the ability to metabolize glycogen in this environment.

In this study, the authors show that the scaffolding proteins ankyrin B and ankyrin G are expressed by Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes, respectively, and are enriched on the glial membrane at paranodal junctions where they interact with neurofascin 155. In addition, they find that ankyrins in oligodendrocytes have key roles in rapid and efficient paranode formation in the CNS.

The team of authors led by Seon-Kyeong Jang use whole-genome sequencing data and show that rare genetic variants explain much of the ‘missing heritability’ in smoking behaviours. These results help address a long-standing mystery in behavioural genetics.

Physical activity has been linked to lower risks of colorectal and breast cancer. Here, the authors present a Mendelian randomisation analysis supporting a potentially causal relationship between higher physical activity levels and lower risks of breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

Two double-sun exoplanets have been discovered by the Kepler spacecraft, establishing a new class of ‘circumbinary’ exoplanets and suggesting that at least several million such systems exist in our Galaxy.

In 653,790 individuals, this multi-ancestral meta-analysis of tobacco use disorder finds 461 potential risk genes and hundreds of associations with health outcomes, showcasing the utility of electronic health records for genetic research.

A systematic assessment finds that at least 5.8% of threatened and near threatened species on the IUCN Red List are likely to be threatened by international trade but that only 59% of these species are currently listed for protection from such trade by CITES.

Goal-kicking analysis shows top players aren't robots after all.

The transcription factor double homeobox protein (DUX) induces a totipotency-specific regulatory program, including the upregulation of DUXBL. DUXBL subsequently accesses DUX-bound regions and interacts with TRIM24 and TRIM33, thus contributing to totipotency exit.

Chemical experiments on californium are stymied by isotope availability and radioactivity considerations, but are advanced here with synthesis and characterization of an organometallic complex.

Magdalena Götz, Stephen Robertson and colleagues show that biallelic mutations in DCHS1 and FAT4 cause a multisystem disorder that includes periventricular neuronal heterotopia. They further show that reducing expression of Dchs1 and Fat4 in mouse embryonic neuroepithelium causes an increase in progenitor cell numbers and reduced neuronal differentiation, resulting in heterotopic accumulation of cells below the neuronal layers in the neocortex.

The mechanisms underlying drought-induced tree mortality are not fully resolved. Here, the authors show that, across multiple tree species, loss of xylem conductivity above 60% is associated with mortality, while carbon starvation is not universal.

Eisenlohr and colleagues identify a novel influenza A virus peptide that elicits a robust CD8⁺ T cell response and is restricted by the nonclassical Qa-1 class I molecule.

A large-scale computational effort is used to predict the activity of 656 drugs against 73 protein targets that have been associated with adverse drug reactions; the abdominal pain side effect of the synthetic oestrogen chlorotrianisene is shown to be mediated through its inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1.

Large scale sequencing study is of paramount importance to unravel the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer. Here, the authors sequenced 205 cancer genes in more than 2000 tumours and identified additional mutated driver genes, determined that mutational burden and specific mutations in TP53 are associated with survival odds.

Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding (CHD) proteins have been implicated in neurodevelopmental processes. Here, the authors identify missense variants in CHD3 that disturb its chromatin remodeling activities and cause a neurodevelopmental disorder with macrocephaly and speech and language impairment.

Precise dating of wooden artefacts at a Norse settlement in Newfoundland establishes that the Norse were in the Americas in ad 1021.

An extinction-risk assessment of reptiles shows that at least 21.1% of species are threatened by factors such as agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species, and that efforts to protect birds, mammals and amphibians probably also benefit many reptiles.

Ancestry-related differences in immunobiology may explain the health disparities observed in prostate cancer patients, with men of African origin bearing the highest prostate cancer burden. By measuring immune-related proteins in serum samples, here the authors report that systemic cytokines linked to suppression of tumor immunity are upregulated in men of African ancestry and associated with reduced survival.

Germline biallelic pathogenic MUTYH variants predispose patients to colorectal cancer (CRC); however, approaches to identify MUTYH variant carriers are lacking. Here, the authors evaluated mutational signatures that could distinguish MUTYH carriers in large CRC cohorts, and found MUTYH-associated somatic mutations.

Ocean currents play a crucial role in the distribution of marine coastal species. Here the nuclear and chloroplast genomes of this eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) is used to trace its colonization history from its origin in the Northwest Pacific.

Wei Zheng and colleagues report the results of a large-scale genome-wide association study of colorectal cancer in East Asians. They identify six new susceptibility loci, including variants near TCF7L2 and TGFB1.

Haldane topological solids usually have spin-1 chains in 3D structures. Here authors present Ni(4,4′-bipy)(ox) (NiBO), a planar MOF with Haldane topological properties and promising quantum applications, as shown by advanced techniques and quantum Monte Carlo studies.

Finger millet is an orphan crop key to food security of people living in eastern Africa, India and Nepal. Here, the authors assemble its genome, conduct population genetics analyses to infer the diversification history, and reveal a candidate gene for purple coloration of anthers and stigma.

The species threat abatement and restoration (STAR) metric quantifies the contributions that abating threats and restoring habitats offer towards reducing species’ extinction risk in specific places.

Exome sequencing and copy number analysis are used to define genomic aberrations in early sporadic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; among the findings are mutations in genes involved in chromatin modification and DNA damage repair, and frequent and diverse somatic aberrations in genes known as embryonic regulators of axon guidance.

Sequencing the genomes of two enteropneusts reveals complex genomic organization and developmental innovation in the ancestor of deuterostomes, a group of animals including echinoderms (starfish and their relatives) and chordates (which includes humans).

The crystal structures of thalidomide and its derivatives bound to the E3 ligase subcomplex DDB1–CRBN are shown; these drugs are found to have dual functions, interfering with the binding of certain cellular substrates to the E3 ligase but promoting the binding of others, thereby modulating the degradation of cellular proteins.

The impact of the DART spacecraft on the asteroid Dimorphos is reported and reconstructed, demonstrating that kinetic impactor technology is a viable technique to potentially defend Earth from asteroids.

Cryptosporidium parvum virus 1 is a virus harbored by the pathogenic protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum, and whose role in parasite biology and host interactions remains unclear. Here, Deng et al. demonstrate the impact this virus has on host response and infection outcome.

Metastatic cells can mimic many of the phenotypic behaviors of embryonic cells. Here, the authors generate a melanoblast-specific transcriptome using a genetically engineered mouse model and identify KDELR3 as a pro-metastasis gene in melanoma.

The GEMINI consortium sequenced 1,000 cases of idiopathic male infertility and identified a plausible Mendelian cause in 20% of cases. The infertility genes can be grouped by expression pattern, facilitating their interpretation and follow-up.

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an anti-inflammatory drug proposed as a treatment for COVID19. Here the results are reported from a randomised trial testing DMF treatment in 713 patients hospitalised with COVID-19. DMF was not associated with any improvement in day 5 outcomes.