Reviews & Analysis

A key DNA-repair enzyme has a surprising role during the early steps in the assembly of ribosomes — the molecular machines that translate the genetic code into protein.

Blood cells called myeloid cells can facilitate metastasis — the spread of a tumour to distant organs. Taming these cells with drugs that alter the chemical structure of their DNA limits metastasis in mice.

How Nature reported a protest against the practices used to identify fungal species in 1920, and an ancient ceremony for testing the British coin of the realm in 1870.

A method for directly converting connective-tissue cells into neurons opened up a new branch of research into cell-based therapies and called into question long-held beliefs about how development affects a cell’s identity.

The first 3D structure of a full-length G-protein-coupled receptor whose natural activator is unknown has been determined, providing insights into an unusual mode of activation and a basis for discovering therapeutics.

Analysis of a unique global data set reveals how the species diversity of birds is affected by the properties of archipelagos and offers a way to test an influential theory. Has this improved our understanding of island biodiversity patterns?

The breaking of a property of nature called charge–parity–time symmetry might explain the observed lack of antimatter in the Universe. Scientists have now hunted for such symmetry breaking using the antimatter atom antihydrogen.

The discovery of a sensor that detects hydrogen peroxide at the surface of a cell provides insights into the mechanisms by which plant cells perceive and respond to environmental stress.

How Nature reported a stamp that celebrated the 150th anniversary of a learned society in 1970, and a call for nasal hair to be more widely appreciated, from 1870.

In 1990, an oceanographer who had never worked on climate science proposed that ice-age cooling has been amplified by increased concentrations of iron in the sea — and instigated an explosion of research.

Most surfaces are rough at many length scales. Simulations show that this characteristic originates at the atomic level in metal-based materials when smooth blocks of these materials are compressed.

Prussian blue analogues are archetypes of coordination solids, in which metal ions are bridged by ligands to form extended network structures. An analysis reveals a surprising ordering of the gaps found in their crystal lattices.

A process termed ubiquitination mediates the regulated destruction of cellular proteins, thereby preventing disease or infection. Structural data now reveal how a crucial regulator of ubiquitination enzymes coordinates this process.

Devices known as quantum cascade lasers produce useful terahertz radiation, but are typically highly sensitive to fabrication defects. This limitation has now been overcome using a property called topological robustness.

Tumours often grow entangled among neurons, which makes the cancer difficult to treat. The finding that cancer cells hijack neighbouring neurons to promote tumour growth suggests new therapeutic targets.

Tumours are often stiffer than normal tissues and show abnormally fast metabolism of glucose. It emerges that the link between these two traits involves tension in a network of protein filaments in cells.

How Nature reported an investigation into the origin of maize in 1920, and a paean to the work of the sea from 1870.

A massive international effort has yielded multifaceted studies of more than 2,600 tumours from 38 tissues, generating a wealth of insights into the genetic basis of cancer.

Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy involve the protein α-synuclein. Proof that aggregated α-synuclein adopts a different structure in each case suggests that its conformation underlies the distinct disorders.

The structure of thyroglobulin, the enormous protein that acts as a precursor for thyroid hormones, has been determined, and its hormone-forming tyrosine amino-acid residues have been identified.