Browse Articles

Fluorescent proteins are widely used to image cellular structures. Here, Shemiakina and colleagues develop an enhanced version of a red fluorescent protein that is monomeric and less cytotoxic, thereby improving the quality of images that can be obtained in the red part of the visible spectrum.

Autophagy is a cellular process that controls protein and organelle turnover. Jimenez-Sanchez and colleagues demonstrate in cultured mammalian cells and in fruit fly larvae that autophagy is regulated by Hedgehoc signalling, a pathway that is important for early embryonic development.

The diffraction limit of light constrains the achievable resolution of conventional optical systems, but metamaterials provide numerous avenues to beat it. Lu and Liu review recent advances in super-resolution imaging with hyperlenses and metalenses, and discuss future directions and hurdles for the field.

Mutations of the Na_V1.7 voltage-gated sodium channel are implicated in abnormal pain signal transduction. Yang and colleagues perform structural modeling, mutant cycle analysis and electrophysiology on specific mutants and find that they can accurately predict their response profiles to channel blockers.

Camels are essential means of transport in deserts, but we know little about the biology of these extraordinary mammals. This study reports the genome sequences of the wild and domestic bactrian camel, offering a glimpse into the camels’ genetic adaptation to harsh environments.

Binary mixtures of molecules on the surface of nanoparticles can arrange randomly or into different domains to form Janus, patchy or striped particles. Liuet al.show that NMR can be used to determine the ligand-shell morphology of particles coated with aliphatic and aromatic ligands.

Metalloporphyrin compounds are studied as models of cytochrome P450, which is capable of catalysing oxidative reactions. Here, reaction conditions are varied to allow spectroscopic observation of oxidant-metalloporphyrin adducts and metal-oxo intermediates, which may elucidate reaction mechanisms.

Orthogonal switching has been achieved in supramolecular systems, in which different responses can be triggered on demand by different stimuli. Tian et al.report host–guest heteroternary complexes with both redox- and light-responsive guests in a single, supramolecular entity.

Coherent conversion of photons from one wavelength to another is promising for future quantum communications technologies. By exploiting coupling between resonances in an optomechanical crystal nanocavity, Hillet al. demonstrate conversion between optical wavelength photons via a mechanical resonance.

Echolocating bats produce a wide variety of calls at different frequencies. In this study, the physiological basis of these frequencies are investigated, revealing that small changes in laryngeal air flow result in jumps between frequencies used for either echolocation or communication.

Large-scale sequencing techniques have helped to understand the genetic diversity of little-known microbial communities. These authors demonstrate a cheaper alternative to direct sequencing—the construction of virtual metagenomes using gel electrophoresis and related genome sequences.

The temporal opening and closing of cell–cell junctions at the blood–testis barrier allows the passage of immature germ cells during spermatogenesis. Su and colleagues identify a peptide fragment of the laminin-γ3 chain that disrupts the blood–testis barrier and reversibly impairs spermatogenesis in rats.

Ultrathin metal sulphides are attractive components for electronic and optical devices and are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Here, a universal, soft colloidal templating strategy is employed for the large-scale synthesis of uniform, ultrathin metal sulphide nanomaterials.

Theoretical models usually fail in describing the behaviour of a many-body quantum system at a hyperbolic fixed point—a point of unstable equilibrium analogous to a motionless inverted pendulum. Gerving et al.show that such behaviour can be explored in the non-equilibrium dynamics of a Bose condensate.

In semiconductors, an absorbed photon can generate multiple electron-hole pairs, but measurements of this carrier multiplication efficiency in nanocrystals need to correctly account for charged excitons. Xiaoet al.meet this need by measuring energy transfer of biexcitons from nanocrystals to acceptor dyes.

The study of dynamic fingering in liquid films has a long and storied history dating back to the discovery of wine tears. Rezket al.report novel fingering patterns driven by sound waves, above which peculiar wave pulses akin to solitary waves are formed.

Organic semiconductors may be processed in solution under ambient conditions; however, liquid manipulation on hydrophobic surfaces is difficult, which may hinder development of devices. Here, a push-coating technique is used to produce large-area semiconducting polymer films over hydrophobic surfaces.

The practical performance of lithium sulphide batteries is much less than their predicted performance because redox products dissolve over time. Su and Manthiram show that microporous carbon membranes inserted between cathode and separator localize soluble polysulphide species and improve battery cycling characteristics.

The Cooper pairs that losslessly conduct current in a superconductor can be split into two spatially separated but quantum mechanically entangled electrons. In this paper, non-local cross-correlation measurements of pairs split within a superconducting wire indicate the efficiency of this process can approach 100%.

Electronic paper technology is used in displays of portable electronic devices for its low-power consumption; however, it suffers from a sub-optimal reflectance. Hagedon et al.fabricate an electrofluidic film that allows video-rate switching and magazine-quality reflectance in electronic paper.