Reviews & Analysis

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  • An analysis of somatic mutations in blood exomes from 200,618 individuals revealed previously unrecognized genes driving clonal hematopoiesis. Mutations in these genes showed age-dependent clonal expansion and their presence correlated with heightened risks of infection, death and hematological malignancy.

    Research Briefing
  • We adapted Tn5 transposition to reduce the amount of input DNA required for amplification-free single-molecule real-time Pacific Biosciences sequencing. We applied transposition-based library preparation in two sensitive methods for concurrently resolving genomes and epigenomes using limiting amounts of native DNA.

    Research Briefing
  • For a variety of reasons, genetic understanding of the steps leading to domestication of the nutrient-rich edible arrested inflorescence of cauliflower — its curd — has proven relatively intractable. A genomic study now unravels the details.

    • Alisdair R. Fernie
    • Mustafa Bulut
    News & Views
  • Many plant products eaten daily in human diets — such as potato or banana — are polyploid and are notoriously difficult to breed. In this study, the fusion of clonal gametes from distinct diploid tomato parents is used as a blueprint for the design of polyploid genomes in crops.

    Research Briefing
  • By developing a modular system for precision epigenome editing, we were able to delineate the causal and quantitative role of chromatin modifications in transcription regulation. The precise effect of chromatin modifications is influenced by multiple contextual factors, including the underlying DNA sequence, transcription factor occupancy and genomic positioning.

    Research Briefing
  • By integrating spatially resolved single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and Stereo-seq data, two studies in this issue characterize molecular signatures of liver cell types and their interactions in homeostasis, damage, repair and regeneration.

    • Lenka Belicova
    • Noemi Van Hul
    • Emma R. Andersson
    News & Views
  • We construct a chromosome-level genome assembly of the acorn barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite. Using this genome together with multi-omics datasets and functional evidence, we reveal the evolution and function of two lineage-specific genes, bcs-6 and bsf, that help A. amphitrite adapt to a sessile lifestyle.

    Research Briefing
  • This Perspective discusses how addressing disparities in genomics can drive improvements in health equity more broadly.

    • Ebony B. Madden
    • Lucia A. Hindorff
    • Eric D. Green
    Perspective
  • This study establishes in vitro and in vivo systems to study mutagenesis and cancer genome evolution. Using microfluidics and mouse models, the method enables the dissection of co-occurring mutational processes and reveals that acute damage results in mirror-image mutation phasing between sister cells after a single mitosis.

    Research Briefing
  • Chromosome-level genome sequences of 69 diverse Arabidopsis thaliana strains reveal a quasi-fixed genome structure worldwide, in which large rearrangement is limited almost exclusively to the centromeric regions. Pan-genome analysis uncovered substantial diversity in gene content that, together with the genome assemblies, will fuel future genetic research.

    Research Briefing
  • Using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of lung tissue, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) were mapped across 38 cell types, revealing both shared and cell-type-specific effects. Highly cell-type-specific disease-interaction eQTLs were linked to cellular dysregulation in lung disease and lung disease risk variants were connected to their regulatory targets in relevant cell types.

    Research Briefing
  • We have curated a comprehensive single-cell reference map of the human breast. Our data explore how age, parity and germline mutations might influence cellular dynamics, revealing unexpected signs of immune exhaustion in healthy tissues from carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations.

    Research Briefing
  • The exact relationship between 3D chromatin interactions and enhancer function is unclear. By probing three-dimensional enhancer interactions in developing embryos, two studies now show nuanced dynamics in tissue-specific contexts and reveal how moderately increased enhancer–promoter interactions coincide with functionality.

    • Daniel M. Ibrahim
    News & Views
  • In mice, zygotic genome activation occurs at onset of the two-cell stage in embryonic development and coincides with the exit from totipotency. Our work shows that the transcription factor DUXBL participates in silencing part of the stage-specific two-cell-associated transcriptional program and is required for development to proceed.

    Research Briefing
  • We show that in addition to promoter activation, MYC drives cancer progression by activating transcriptional enhancers via a distinct mechanism. MYC cooperates with several other proteins at these cis-regulatory regions to change the epigenome and promote recruitment of RNA polymerase II and enhancer transcription.

    Research Briefing
  • Mutational signatures help to deconvolve the different processes that shape cancer genomes. A new tool now alleviates some of the persistent challenges in the field.

    • Tom L. Kaufmann
    • Roland F. Schwarz
    News & Views
  • Genome-wide CRISPR screening coupled with ATAC-see uncovered modulators that influence global chromatin accessibility. Notably, TFDP1 emerged as a pivotal modulator of chromatin accessibility that acts by controlling histone transcription. Depletion of TFDP1 induced a global elevation in accessibility, enhancing the efficiency of genome editing and iPS cell reprogramming.

    Research Briefing