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tRNA-derived small RNAs (tdRs) have long been considered mere intermediates of tRNA degradation. This Review discusses the biogenesis and regulation of tdRs and focuses on their emerging gene regulation roles in cell metabolism, immune responses, development and cancer.
The Rho GTPases are small GTP binding proteins that regulate basic biological processes such as cell locomotion, cell division and morphogenesis by promoting cytoskeleton-based changes in the cell cortex. These different functions are driven by the ability of Rho GTPases to self-organize, forming diverse spatiotemporal cortical patterns.
Cell quiescence dampens mTOR signalling and enables AGO2 localization to the nucleus, where it suppresses retrotransposons by directly cleaving their RNA.
Cell death can result from the activation of dedicated programmed cell death machineries or disruption of pro-survival mechanisms. This Review describes the different major mechanisms of cell death and discusses recent insights into their relevance to disease.
Scientists are captivated by the prospect of creating a fully synthetic cell, offering the potential to revolutionize biology, medicine and biotechnology. In this Viewpoint, a panel of experts discusses the definitions of a synthetic cell and highlights current achievements, challenges and future opportunities of building such systems.
Plant cells assemble a strong yet extensible primary cell wall consisting largely of polysaccharides. Emerging models of wall growth integrate physical properties such as mechanical strength and tension with cellular processes that govern wall loosening and expansion.
Adherens junctions (AJs) are canonical mediators of cell–cell adhesion that support embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. This Review discusses how the properties and behaviours of embryonic tissues emerge from the collective molecular interactions that occur at AJs.
White adipose tissue serves a plethora of physiological functions, which are compromised in obesity. The mechanisms through which obese white adipose tissue contributes to pathologies including insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, chronic inflammation, cancer and decreased fertility are emerging. In the future, these insights can be translated into novel drugs for obesity and obesity-associated diseases.
ATP-dependent chromatin remodellers regulate chromatin transactions — transcription, replication and DNA repair — by re-arranging nucleosomes. Recent studies have elucidated the organization of remodeller complexes, their ATPase activity, their regulation and their pathological dysregulation.
Translation is controlled mainly during its initiation. Recent studies in yeast and mammals provide new insights into the mechanism of translation initiation regulation in health and in various diseases, and open avenues for the development of innovative therapies targeting the translation machinery.
Lysosomes orchestrate key cellular functions such as nutrient sensing, degradation of macromolecules and stress adaptation. This Review discusses the integration of signalling pathways at the lysosome and highlights the interaction of lysosomes with other organelles and mechanisms that ensure lysosome homeostasis.
In this Tools of the Trade article, Manuela Richter (Dumont lab) describes a method to probe mechanisms of cytoskeletal network re-organization that uses a targeted laser to both trigger network remodelling and track network dynamics.
Intrinsically disordered regions of proteins lack a defined 3D structure and exist in a collection of interconverting conformations. Recent work is shedding light on how — through their conformational malleability and adaptability — intrinsically disordered regions extend the repertoire of macromolecular interactions in the cell and contribute to key cellular functions.
Emily Wong describes a study that provided a quantitative methodology for analyzing ChIP experiments and shifted our understanding of the functionality of transcription factors.
In this Tools of the Trade article, Bohan Zhang (Gladyshev lab) discusses how the use of extended heterochronic parabiosis in mice (surgical connection between circulatory systems for an extended period), followed by detachment, can shed light on potential mechanisms that reverse mammalian ageing.
The regenerative abilities of mammalian hair follicles are facilitated by the proliferation of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), which reside in specialized niches within the skin. Recent studies shed light on how local signals and systemic inputs from the body and the environment regulate HFSC function.
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are relics of ancient retroviral infections, which provide coding and non-coding sequences to the human genome. Emerging evidence reveals how HERVs contribute to immune responses and embryogenesis and how infections and mutations can dysregulate them and contribute to neurodegeneration, inflammation and oncogenesis.
