Browse Articles

During embryonic epithelial–mesenchymal transition, epithelial cells undergo substantial phenotypic changes and acquire migration capacity. This Review compares embryonic and adult non-cancer EMTs and discusses the role of EMTs in adult tissue repair and fibrosis, highlighting therapeutic opportunities to modulate EMT to reduce fibrosis and promote repair.

This article reviews the current landscape of targeted protein degradation approaches and how they have parallels in biological processes. The authors also outline the ongoing clinical exploration of novel degraders and provide some perspectives on the directions the field might take.

The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) mediates the tissue effects of senescent cells. This Review discusses the composition, regulation and various biological implications of the SASP and its uses as a biomarker and a target of senomorphic drugs to treat cancer and other age-related conditions.

Robert Parton and colleagues discuss novel evidence on the role of dynamin in caveolar endocytosis, which calls into question established models of dynamin-mediated fission.

Reversible S-palmitoylation regulates gasdermin D cleavage, membrane translocation and pore formation to control pyroptosis following bacterial infection.

The first evidence that the formation of protein complexes is linked to protein synthesis was already provided in the early 1960s.

In the Journal Club, Fabrizio d’Adda di Fagagna remembers how the work of Judy Campisi changed our understanding of cellular senescence and its effect on physiology and ageing, shaping the future of this research field.

Tissues undergo changes in their mechanical and material properties through alterations in cytoskeleton organization, extracellular matrix adhesion and cell–cell connectivity. These mechanical state transitions orchestrate cell proliferation and movement and tissue growth during development, in adult tissue repair and in disease contexts.

This study presents a new iPS cell-based model to study the mechanisms of tau propagation in 4R tauopathies.

The assembly of large protein–pigment photosystem supercomplexes relies on several assembly factors. Zhang et al. describe a novel assembly factor that evolved during the terrestrialization of land plants.

Fibroblasts undergo transient activation into myofibroblasts to restore homeostasis to injured tissues. This Review explores the influence of mechanical cues and epigenetic modifications on (myo)fibroblast activation and memory and discusses potential therapeutic prevention of persistent myofibroblast activation in fibrosis.

Imaging of fluorescently labelled nascent RNA in live cells enabled real-time observation of transcription of an endogenous gene.

Recent combinations of structure-based and sequence-based calculations and machine learning tools have dramatically improved protein engineering and design. Although designing complex protein structures remains challenging, these methods have enabled the design of therapeutically relevant activities, including vaccine antigens, antivirals and drug-delivery nano-vehicles.

Friedländer and Gilbert introduce the study of ancient RNA of viruses, plants and animals, and how it can inform us of (pre)historic gene expression.

In this Tools of the Trade article, Venkova and Popard (Piel lab) discuss recent updates to the fluorescence exclusion method that now enable simultaneous measurement of cellular and nuclear size as well as investigation of small prokaryotic cells.

This Review discusses the complex mechanisms of wound healing — cell migration, matrix remodelling, inflammation and angiogenesis — and the contributions of different cell types, including immune cells, to this process. It also highlights new methodologies that could inform future therapies to prevent scarring and repair chronic wounds.

Thomas Arnesen and colleagues discuss an emerging major role of one of the most common protein modifications, N-terminal acetylation, in shielding the proteome from degradation.

Ahna Skop and Karen Schindler describe a paper that found localized translation in mammalian embryos, demonstrating the importance of RNA transport for development.

The story of a paper that established the concept of codon optimality and its connection with translation efficiency and mRNA decay.

Methodological advances have enabled discoveries of RNA polymerase interactions with RNA processing machineries, such as the splicing and 3′-end cleavage machineries. This Review discusses the roles of these interactions in gene regulation and eukaryotic cellular stress responses, and highlights parallels between co-transcriptional RNA processing in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.