Perspectives

Golesorkhi et al. discuss recent literature on intrinsic neural timescales, their potential role in input processing including computational mechanism, and how they relate to mental features, psychiatric disorders and artificial intelligence.

In this Perspective, Diane Dickel and colleagues review recent progress and opportunities in applying single-cell sequencing and microfluidics methods to plants. The authors highlight the need for new tools developed with plants in mind, and advocate for the creation of a centralized, open-access database to house plant single-cell data.

Soldan and co-authors propose an evolutionary framework for understanding how host control of the microbiota is influenced by artificial selection. They go on to discuss the potential effect of domestication syndrome on the seed microbiome and plant-microbe interactions in the spermosphere.

Simeoni et al discuss how recent structural work has improved our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1-mediated translation inhibition and how Nsp1 inhibition could impact host immune responses and suppress viral replication.

Pudewell et al. discuss and advance our understanding of accessory proteins, which are crucial for the RTK-RAS-MAPK signalling cascade. They consider the therapeutic potential of targeting such modulators as an alternative to targeting constituent components of the RTK-RAS-MAPK signalling cascade in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

In this Perspective, Simpson, Pye, and Whitaker discuss recent research identifying structural genomic variants in human cancers with a particular focus on deletions and duplications at genomic fragile sites. They argue that tumours with predominantly fragile site structural variants represent a distinct mutational signature that warrants further research.

Mohan, Abdulhalim and Cvelbar investigated the capabilities of different plasmonic-based sensing techniques including the surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localised SPR, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRA) for the detection of viruses. The presented data will assist in the development of novel and versatile virus biosensors.

In this Perspective, Axel Newton and Andrew Pask examine the role of the Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) QA repeat during skeletal development and discuss how its emergence and expansion may have facilitated the evolution of morphological novelty in vertebrates.

In this Perspective, Christopher Gisriel et al. discuss the challenges in accurate assignment of co-factors in cryo-EM, particularly for chlorophylls. They explore the factors that lead to misassignment and offer suggestions for improving reliability of cryo-EM-based assignments.

In this Perspective article, Claudio Quilodrán et al. discuss how hybridization should be considered with respect to conservation. They argue hybridization may be useful for species conservation by enhancing the ability of taxa to adapt better to changing environmental conditions or increasing genetic diversity.

Sannigrahi et al. discuss conformational switching that allows proteins to alter their conformation, aiding in pathogenesis by enabling cellular entry of viruses and bacterial toxins. Focussing on fusion domain of the Spike glycoprotein of SARS COV2 virus, they identify similar “switching sequences” present in diverse pathogen derived proteins.

In this Perspective, Bryan Runck and colleagues discuss an often-overlooked consequence of scaling up cover cropping – a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. Using published seed yield data from common cover crops, they demonstrate the potentially large land use cost and discuss ways for reducing this cost.

Pastore et al. provide independent evidence that the Alzheimer Aβ peptides could function as antimicrobial peptides based on convincing structural and sequence similarities with viral fusion domains and established antimicrobial peptides. Aβ could dispatch an antimicrobial function through a mechanism that involves membrane pore formation.