Featured
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell brain organoid screening identifies developmental defects in autism
We develop a high-throughput CRISPR screening system in cerebral organoids and identify vulnerable cell types and gene regulatory networks associated with autism spectrum disorder from single-cell transcriptomes and chromatin modalities.
- Chong Li
- , Jonas Simon Fleck
- & Juergen A. Knoblich
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Career Q&A |
Biotechnologist’s long-life bananas unite business and social solutions
George William Byarugaba Bazirake brings academic values to his company.
- Christopher Bendana
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News Feature |
A DIY ‘bionic pancreas’ is changing diabetes care — what's next?
A community of people with type 1 diabetes got a self-built device approved. What can they offer that big companies can’t?
- Liam Drew
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News Feature |
Is a boost to height a boost to health? Dwarfism therapies spark controversy
Emerging treatments for achondroplasia pose difficult choices for parents. Proponents say they are changing lives. Others fear they will feed stigma and erase identity.
- Cassandra Willyard
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Article
| Open AccessGut microbial carbohydrate metabolism contributes to insulin resistance
Faecal carbohydrates, particularly host-accessible monosaccharides, are increased in individuals with insulin resistance and are associated with microbial carbohydrate metabolisms and host inflammatory cytokines.
- Tadashi Takeuchi
- , Tetsuya Kubota
- & Hiroshi Ohno
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Article
| Open AccessEpitope editing enables targeted immunotherapy of acute myeloid leukaemia
Epitope engineering of donor haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells endows haematopoietic lineages with selective resistance to CAR T cells or monoclonal antibodies, without affecting protein function or regulation, enabling the targeting of genes that are essential for leukaemia survival and reducing the risk of tumour immune escape.
- Gabriele Casirati
- , Andrea Cosentino
- & Pietro Genovese
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Article
| Open AccessA microscale soft ionic power source modulates neuronal network activity
A study describes the development of a miniaturized hydrogel-based soft power source capable of modulating the activity of networks of neuronal cells without the need for metal electrodes.
- Yujia Zhang
- , Jorin Riexinger
- & Hagan Bayley
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World View |
Allow patents on AI-generated inventions — for the good of science
The current global mishmash of rules on whether innovations made using artificial intelligence are patentable impedes AI-rich fields such as drug discovery.
- Ryan Abbott
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Where I Work |
Feeding bacteria seaweed to make compostable plastic
Bioprocess engineer Jesús E. Rodríguez’s team dreams of replacing all synthetic plastics with biodegradable products.
- Patricia Maia Noronha
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Article
| Open AccessSpatially resolved multiomics of human cardiac niches
Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analysis of eight human heart tissues reveals the cellular profiles and tissue architecture of niches including the cardiac conduction system, and a new tool, drug2cell, identifies drug target expression.
- Kazumasa Kanemaru
- , James Cranley
- & Sarah A. Teichmann
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Outlook |
How genetically modified mosquitoes could eradicate malaria
Gene-drive technology that can spread antimalarial modifications throughout mosquito populations is maturing, but there are questions to answer before it can be used in the wild.
- Sam Jones
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Article |
Continuous synthesis of E. coli genome sections and Mb-scale human DNA assembly
BAC stepwise insertion synthesis (BASIS) can be used to build synthetic genomes for diverse organisms, and continuous genome synthesis (CGS) enables the rapid synthesis of entire Escherichia coli genomes from functional designs.
- Jérôme F. Zürcher
- , Askar A. Kleefeldt
- & Jason W. Chin
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Research Briefing |
Cholesterol can make surfaces non-stick
Surfaces that contain cholesterol, such as the skin of some invertebrates, can repel other molecules, preventing the adsorption of proteins and bacteria. Experiments, simulations and thermodynamic analyses show that this repulsive quality depends on cholesterol molecules rotating freely and switching their orientation.
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Nature Podcast |
Why bladder cancer cells that shed their Y chromosome become more aggressive
Researchers uncover how loss of this chromosome helps cancer cells evade the immune system, and engineering synthetic cartilage.
- Shamini Bundell
- & Nick Petrić Howe
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Article
| Open AccessEntropic repulsion of cholesterol-containing layers counteracts bioadhesion
Entropic repulsion caused by interfacial orientational fluctuations of cholesterol layers restricts protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion, providing a conceptually new physicochemical perspective on biointerfaces that may guide future material design in regulation of adhesion.
- Jens Friedrichs
- , Ralf Helbig
- & Carsten Werner
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Article |
Genome editing of a rice CDP-DAG synthase confers multipathogen resistance
Editing of a rice gene that has a role in phospholipid synthesis has endowed rice plants with broad-spectrum resistance to disease, including protection from common bacterial and fungal pathogens, without decreasing the yield.
- Gan Sha
- , Peng Sun
- & Guotian Li
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Nature Video |
Neurotech DIY: fixing your own implant
As the neurotechnology market expands, what happens to those left behind?
- Dan Fox
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News Feature |
‘It’s a vote for hope’: first gene therapy for muscular dystrophy nears approval, but will it work?
The FDA’s decision, expected this month, follows several setbacks and delays and will pose difficult choices for the families of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
- Sara Reardon
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News & Views |
How a protein differentiates between rare-earth elements
A protein has been discovered that binds to the lighter members of the rare-earth family of metals more strongly than to the heavier ones — an amazing feat, given the chemical similarities of these elements.
- Scott Banta
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Article
| Open AccessEnhanced rare-earth separation with a metal-sensitive lanmodulin dimer
A study biochemically and structurally characterizes a lanmodulin from Hansschlegelia quercus with an oligomeric state sensitive to rare-earth ionic radius.
- Joseph A. Mattocks
- , Jonathan J. Jung
- & Joseph A. Cotruvo Jr
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News & Views |
A tool for optimizing messenger RNA sequence
With messenger RNA therapeutics being developed for uses beyond vaccines, problems of RNA instability must be addressed. A new algorithm optimizes mRNA sequence for both stability and the encoding of amino acids.
- Anna K. Blakney
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Outlook |
Accelerating drug development with 3D neural models
A reproducible cell-culture system could help to evaluate new therapies for disorders that affect the brain.
- Christine Evans-Pughe
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Outlook |
Bioglue breakthrough
A nature-inspired adhesive offers hope for wound healing and haemorrhage control.
- Elie Dolgin
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Research Highlight |
‘Smart’ sutures: old-fashioned gut thread gets a makeover
Stitching material made from cell-free gut tissue is not only strong but can also be used to sense inflammation.
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Article
| Open AccessProfiling the human intestinal environment under physiological conditions
Variations in microbial composition, phage induction, antimicrobial resistance genes and bile acid profiles are identified by using an ingestible device for site-specific sampling along the intestines.
- Dari Shalon
- , Rebecca Neal Culver
- & Kerwyn Casey Huang
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Article
| Open AccessA draft human pangenome reference
An initial draft of the human pangenome is presented and made publicly available by the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium; the draft contains 94 de novo haplotype assemblies from 47 ancestrally diverse individuals.
- Wen-Wei Liao
- , Mobin Asri
- & Benedict Paten
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News |
How generative AI is building better antibodies
Language models similar to those behind ChatGPT have been used to improve antibody therapies against COVID-19, Ebola and other viruses.
- Ewen Callaway
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Article |
Complete integration of carbene-transfer chemistry into biosynthesis
The α-diazoester azaserine can be produced by Streptomyces albus engineered with a biosynthetic gene cluster and act as the carbene precursor for coupling with intracellularly produced styrene to generate unnatural amino acids containing a cyclopropyl group.
- Jing Huang
- , Andrew Quest
- & Jay D. Keasling
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Editorial |
The gene-therapy revolution risks stalling if we don’t talk about drug pricing
Regulation and new intellectual property laws are needed to reduce the cost of gene-editing treatments and fulfil their promise to improve human health.
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News & Views |
Mix-and-match tools for protein injection into cells
An injection system from bacteria has been re-engineered in an effort to develop a programmable system for protein delivery into cells. Its customizability opens the door to a multitude of biomedical applications.
- Charles F. Ericson
- & Martin Pilhofer
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Article
| Open AccessSpatial multiomics map of trophoblast development in early pregnancy
A multiomics single-cell atlas of the human maternal–fetal interface including the myometrium, combining spatial transcriptomics data with chromatin accessibility, provides a comprehensive analysis of cell states as placental cells infiltrate the uterus during early pregnancy.
- Anna Arutyunyan
- , Kenny Roberts
- & Roser Vento-Tormo
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News |
Antibody-patent row could have far-reaching impact on biotech
The results of a US case could dictate how broad patents are, and have knock-on effects for those developing drugs.
- Heidi Ledford
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News Q&A |
‘Open for business’: risk-taking US health agency ready to spend $2.5-billion budget
One year after the launch of ARPA-H, Nature talks to director Renee Wegrzyn about her vision for the agency.
- Max Kozlov
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Obituary |
Paul Berg (1926–2023)
Biochemist who invented recombinant DNA technology.
- Errol Friedberg
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News & Views Forum |
Fastest-ever calcium sensors broaden the potential of neuronal imaging
Proteins have been developed that emit flashes of light in response to influxes of calcium ions into cells on millisecond timescales. Two sets of scientists discuss the legacy and future of these proteins.
- Michael B. Ryan
- , Anne K. Churchland
- & Casey Baker
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News & Views |
Synthetic bacterial genome upgraded for viral defence and biocontainment
Bacteria with a synthetic genome were engineered to alter the way that the DNA code instructs cells to make proteins. This ‘language barrier’ serves to isolate the cells genetically, and makes them immune to viral infection.
- Benjamin A. Blount
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Article |
A swapped genetic code prevents viral infections and gene transfer
A study details the creation of an Escherichia coli genetically recoded organism that is resistant to viral infection, and describes a further modification that keeps the organism and its genetic information biocontained.
- Akos Nyerges
- , Svenja Vinke
- & George M. Church
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Article |
Generation of functional oocytes from male mice in vitro
Mouse induced pluripotent stem cells derived from differentiated fibroblasts could be converted from male (XY) to female (XX), resulting in cells that could form oocytes and give rise to offspring after fertilization.
- Kenta Murakami
- , Nobuhiko Hamazaki
- & Katsuhiko Hayashi
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Technology Feature |
How cell-free processes could speed up vaccine development
Rather than relying on yeast and bacteria, bioengineers are looking for cheaper and easier ways to make proteins and other biomolecules.
- Carrie Arnold
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Outlook |
Could implantable artificial kidneys end the need for dialysis?
Highly engineered mechanical structures could radically improve the quality of life for people with chronic kidney disease.
- Neil Savage
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Article |
Co-opting signalling molecules enables logic-gated control of CAR T cells
Logic gating is used to develop a CAR T cell platform that is highly specific and allows the activity of T cells to be restricted to the encounter of two antigens, thus reducing on-target, off-tumour toxicity.
- Aidan M. Tousley
- , Maria Caterina Rotiroti
- & Robbie G. Majzner
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Perspective |
CAR immune cells: design principles, resistance and the next generation
This Perspective reviews recent developments in the design and use of chimeric antigen receptors in treatments for cancers and other diseases.
- Louai Labanieh
- & Crystal L. Mackall
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Article |
Autonomous self-burying seed carriers for aerial seeding
A study describes a wood-based, three-tailed, biodegradable seed carrier that self-drills into the ground in response to moisture fluctuations with a success rate higher than that of natural self-drilling seeds.
- Danli Luo
- , Aditi Maheshwari
- & Lining Yao
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News |
Disgraced CRISPR-baby scientist’s ‘publicity stunt’ frustrates researchers
He Jiankui refused to answer researchers’ questions about his controversial 2018 experiments at weekend event.
- Smriti Mallapaty
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News |
Trial settles debate over best design for mRNA in COVID vaccines
The biggest defender of ‘unmodified’ mRNA for vaccines against infectious disease has a change of heart.
- Elie Dolgin
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Article
| Open AccessActive eosinophils regulate host defence and immune responses in colitis
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling and functional assays are used to identify subpopulations of eosinophils that are present in the mouse gastrointestinal tract and provide insight into the role of these cells in inflammatory bowel diseases in humans.
- Alessandra Gurtner
- , Costanza Borrelli
- & Isabelle C. Arnold
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Article
| Open AccessProgramming multicellular assembly with synthetic cell adhesion molecules
Synthetic cell adhesion molecules yield customized cell–cell interactions with adhesion properties that are similar to native interactions, and offer abilities for cell and tissue engineering and for systematically studying multicellular organization.
- Adam J. Stevens
- , Andrew R. Harris
- & Wendell A. Lim
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Research Briefing |
Plant-cell machinery for making metabolites transferred to mammalian cells
Supplies of the crucial molecules ATP and NADPH are lacking in many human diseases, but restoring them requires tight control. Using light-powered thylakoid structures from plants to carefully deliver these molecules to the joints of arthritic mice slowed degeneration.
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