Comment

The type three secretion system (T3SS) is a membrane-anchored nano-machine utilized by many pathogenic bacteria to inject effector proteins and thus take control of host cells. In a recent article, Kaval et al. reveal a striking colocalization of a T3SS-encoding locus, its transcriptional activators, protein products, and the complete structure at the cell membrane, which they claim provides evidence for a mechanism known as ‘transertion’.

In this comment, the authors discuss the potentially widespread problem of selection bias in drawing biological conclusions from RNA sequencing data.

Detecting and quantifying the causal relations of ecosystem functioning is a challenging endeavor. This Comment discusses a global study on grasslands and illustrates how reasoning about underlying assumptions is key to modern causal inference approaches in ecology.

Lack of information on authors’ contribution to specific aspects of a study hampers reproducibility and replicability. Here, the authors propose a new, easily implemented reporting system to clarify contributor roles in the Methods section of an article.

We address a controversy over use of the term “gene drive” to include both natural and synthetic genetic elements that promote their own transmission within a population, arguing that this broad definition is both practical and has advantages for risk analysis.

A recent study from Nature Communications reveals that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can hijack epigenetic machinery in host cells and induce host cell ferroptosis, which promotes pathogen pathogenicity and spread. These findings also suggest new therapeutic strategies to treat tuberculosis.

Supramolecular chemistry based on cyclodextrin receptors as second-sphere ligands contribute to developing non-covalent materials with synergistic functionalities. Herein, we comment on a recent investigation of this concept, describing selective gold recovery through a hierarchical host-guest assembly specifically built from β-CD.

NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission intentionally impacted the asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022, and this kinetic impact changed Dimorphos’ orbit around its binary companion Didymos. This first planetary defense test explored technological readiness for this method of asteroid deflection.

This Comment highlights the importance of Faradaic efficiency reporting and discusses methods for reliable measurements of Faradaic efficiency in the electrocatalysis field.

A large proportion of recent Brazilian Amazon deforestation is occurring on untitled public forestlands through land grabbing. This emerging risk demands long-term conservation strategies. Here we propose prioritizing land tenure security, technological improvement, and law enforcement.

More than a decade after the first demonstration of large-scale graphene synthesis by chemical vapor deposition, the commercialization of graphene products is limited not only by price, but also by consistency, reproducibility, and predictability. Here, the author discusses the reproducibility issues in the field and proposes possible solutions to improve the reliability of published results.

Searching for evidence of life on Mars is a major impetus for exploration. A new study published in Nature Communications finds that current Mars mission instruments lack the essential sensitivity to identify life traces in Chilean desert samples that strongly resemble the martian area currently under study by NASA’s Perseverance rover.

Esophageal cancers feature distinct manifestations between and within patients which complicate precision diagnosis, prognosis, and patient care. New genomic and epigenomic research uncovers novel mechanisms underlying both inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity in esophageal cancer, with significant biological and translational implications.

Carbon dioxide removal technologies are gaining prominence in academia, industry and policy, yet the need for substantial funding raises serious challenges. This comment discusses these issues and offers suggestions for future funding efforts in this area.

Prostate cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease. Progression on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to castration-resistant (CRPC), or neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), is associated with poor patient survival. This comment highlights recent evidence on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the emergence of lineage plasticity and neuroendocrine differentiation in treatment-resistant prostate tumors.

Two new studies exploring PROTAC-mediated degradation of SMARCA2 for cancer therapy solve an apparently intractable selectivity challenge with SMARCA4 by utilising the requirement for a productive ternary complex between the protein, PROTAC and ligase complex.

Chalcogenide aerogels are receiving widespread attention due to their unique properties. Here we comment on a recent work about amorphous Na–Mn–Sn–S chalcogels featuring local structural control, and provide an outlook for the development of chalcogels and the metal-organic sulfide framework.

The development of photocatalysts is greatly hindered by false positives or non-reproducible data. Here, The authors describe the current known causes of non-reproducible results in the literature and present solutions to mitigate these false positive results.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can harm mental health across the lifespan and reduce life expectancy. We provide a commentary of evidence on the health impacts, and how creative arts and digital interventions may support prevention and recovery.

In this work, Morgenstern and colleagues describe an approach involving functionalized nanobodies which decrease the activity of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels associated with β₁ subunits and promote their removal from the surface membrane of neurons and muscle.