Nature (Nature) | Latest Research

2 days ago

Abstract Subtle changes in molecular structure can lead to profound changes in molecular function. However, even minor structural refinements can require the complete re-synthesis of a target molecule, adding time and cost to molecular design campaigns1. Recently, editing methods have emerged targe

Maximizing carrier extraction in hybrid back-contact silicon solar cells

2 days ago

Abstract Hybrid back-contact (BC) silicon solar cells 1-3 combine the strengths of TOPCon-derived 4-7 n-type contacts, SHJ-derived 8-12 p-type contacts, and interdigitated BC (IBC)13,14 device structures. Though high performance in the form of 27.8% efficiency has been demonstrated,1 the understand

Shared neural substrates of prosocial and parenting behaviours

Abstract Humans and animals can sense the negative states of other individuals and respond with prosocial behaviour to improve their conditions1,2. Although prosocial behaviour is hypothesized to have an evolutionary root in caring for vulnerable newborn offspring1,3, whether the neural substrates

Genome modelling and design across all domains of life with Evo 2

Abstract All of life encodes information with DNA. Although tools for genome sequencing, synthesis and editing have transformed biological research, we still lack sufficient understanding of the immense complexity encoded by genomes to predict the effects of many classes of genomic changes or to in

DICER cleavage fidelity is governed by 5′-end binding pockets

Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) depends on DICER, an essential enzyme that processes RNA precursors into small regulatory RNAs. DICER cleaves RNA precursors according to the 5′-end counting rule, in which RNA length is measured from the 5′-end1,2,3. Previous work proposed a single 5′-end binding p

Bulk hexagonal diamond

Abstract Known as the ‘ultimate semiconductor’, cubic diamond (CD) has gained substantial interest both scientifically and industrially. Its polymorph, hexagonal diamond (HD), is even more intriguing because of its fascinating properties associated with the meteorite impacts1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. As no s

Long-term thrombus-free left atrial appendage occlusion via magnetofluids

Abstract Peri-device leak and device-related thrombus1 remain key challenges of current left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO)2 owing to the incompatibility between the solid occluder and the left atrial appendage (LAA). Here we propose a personalized and complete LAAO using magnetofluids that is s

The oldest articulated bony fish from the early Silurian period

Abstract Osteichthyans, comprising sarcopterygians and actinopterygians, dominate modern vertebrate biodiversity1,2,3, yet their pre-Devonian fossil record remains scarce and fragmentary4,5. The oldest articulated sarcopterygian6 and stem osteichthyan7 date to the late Silurian, whereas undisputed

A metabolic alarmin from keratinocytes potentiates systemic humoral immunity

Abstract How a local infection triggers systemic humoral immunity remains unclear. Here we identify farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), a mevalonate pathway metabolic intermediate1, as an endogenous alarmin that enhances IgG antibody responses through keratinocyte-derived IL-6 and CCL20. This signalling

Merlin: a computed tomography vision–language foundation model and dataset

Abstract The large volume of abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans1,2 coupled with the shortage of radiologists3,4,5,6 have intensified the need for automated medical image analysis tools. Previous state-of-the-art approaches for automated analysis leverage vision–language models (VLMs) that joi

Lipid metabolism drives dietary effects on T cell ferroptosis and immunity

Abstract Ferroptosis, a major mechanism of non-apoptotic programmed cell death, critically regulates the homeostasis and functionality of peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells1,2,3,4,5,6. Here we demonstrate that in mouse, resistance of T cells to ferroptosis depends critically on the composition of sta

Limited thermal tolerance in tropical insects and its genomic signature

Abstract Insects make up the majority of all animal species, with 70% occurring in the tropics1, yet the impacts of warming on tropical insects remain highly uncertain2. This stems from sparse, taxonomically biased data on thermal tolerance of tropical insects and an incomplete understanding of the

Microbiota-mediated induction of beige adipocytes in response to dietary cues

Abstract Interactions between diet and the gut microbiota are fundamental to metabolic health, shaping energy balance and disease susceptibility1,2,3,4,5. However, the underlying mechanisms by which dietary and microbial factors converge to regulate host physiology remain unclear. Here we show that

A glucocorticoid–FAS axis controls immune evasion during metastatic seeding

Abstract Metastasis is the major cause of death for patients with triple-negative breast cancer and other solid malignancies. Metastases arise from cancer cells that disseminate from the original tumour, survive systemic immune surveillance and colonize new organs1. Little is known about how initia

Mechanism of co-transcriptional cap snatching by influenza polymerase

Abstract Influenza virus mRNAs are stable and competent for nuclear export and translation because they receive a 5′ cap(1) structure in a process called cap snatching1. During cap snatching, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (FluPol) binds to host RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and the emerging t

Sea level much higher than assumed in most coastal hazard assessments

Abstract The impacts of sea-level rise and other hazards on the coasts of the world are determined by coastal sea-level height and land elevation1. Correct integration of both aspects is fundamental for reliable sea-level rise and coastal hazard impact assessments2,3, but is often not carefully con

Cell-free chromatin state tracing reveals disease origin and therapy responses

Abstract Cell-free DNA in blood originates from fragmented chromatin released by dying cells from both healthy and diseased tissues1,2. These fragments carry rich molecular modalities that can reveal pathological alterations in tissues of origin3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Here we develop cf-EpiTracing, a hig

Structural basis of RNA-guided transcription by a dCas12f–σE–RNAP complex

Abstract In both natural and engineered biological systems, RNA-guided proteins have emerged as critical transcriptional regulators by modulating RNA polymerase (RNAP) and its associated factors1,2,3. In bacteria, diverse clades of repurposed TnpB and CRISPR-associated proteins repress gene express

The molecular basis of force selectivity by PIEZO2

Abstract PIEZOs are mechanically gated ion channels that transduce force into electrochemical signals1. PIEZO1 responds to diverse stimuli including membrane stretch2 and shear stress3, whereas PIEZO2 is generally tuned to detect cellular indentation4,5. The functional specialization of PIEZO2 is p

Wind shear enhances soil moisture influence on rapid thunderstorm growth

Abstract Convective storms can develop rapidly, creating hazards to local populations through intense precipitation, strong winds and lightning1. The large-scale environment in which thunderstorms develop is often well captured in forecast systems, yet predicting where individual storms will initia

Homologous recombination deficiency and hemizygosity drive resistance in breast cancer

Abstract The co-occurrence of germline and somatic oncogenic alterations is frequently observed in breast cancer, yet their combined influence on tumour evolution and therapy resistance remains poorly defined. Through an integrated clinicogenomic analysis of more than 5,800 patients, we show that g

Advancing operational global aerosol forecasting with machine learning

Abstract Aerosol forecasting is important for air-quality management, health risk assessment and climate change mitigation1,2. However, it is more complex than weather forecasting, owing to the interactions between aerosol physicochemical processes and atmospheric dynamics, resulting in high uncert

Genetically encoded assembly recorder temporally resolves cellular history

9 days ago

Abstract Cells constantly change their molecular state in response to internal and external cues1. Mapping cellular activity in tissues with spatiotemporal precision is essential for understanding organ physiology, pathology, and regenerative processes. Current cell-sensing modalities primarily rel

BCDX2–CX3 and DX2–CX3 complexes assemble and stabilize RAD51 filaments

10 days ago

Abstract The repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination (HR) is essential for genomic integrity, and its dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer1. Central to HR is the RAD51 recombinase, whose assembly into a nucleoprotein filament is governed by five RAD51 paralogs (RAD51B, RAD51

Limitations of probing field-induced response with STM