The metabolism of somatic stem cells must be regulated to meet their specific needs, to enable long-term maintenance as well as their activation, proliferation and subsequent differentiation. Better understanding of metabolic regulation in stem cells will open new opportunities to manipulate stem cell function, with potential applications in tissue regeneration and cancer prevention.

Mitochondrial respiration relies on five enzymatic complexes that couple electron transport with proton pumping, leading to ATP synthesis. Recent studies have shed new light on the organization, assembly and mechanisms of the respiratory complexes, including the formation of their larger assemblies — respiratory supercomplexes — and their roles in physiology.

This Review discusses our current understanding of cell cycle regulation, the functions of cell cycle checkpoints and how disruption of these finely tuned mechanisms is associated with cancer. Insights into these regulatory mechanisms are creating new opportunities for the treatment of cancer.

Bacteriophage anti-CRISPR proteins evolved to counter CRISPR–Cas-mediated immunity in prokaryotes. Recent structural studies have provided novel insights into the mechanisms and functions of anti-CRISPRs, and have increased the breadth of their use for biotechnology applications in eukaryotes.

Based on his personal experience, Alexios-Fotios Mentis urges mentor-seekers to consider emotional ‘match’ and compassion in a future mentor.

Organelles are normally transmitted to progeny exclusively through the maternal germ line. Chung et al. now describe genetic and environmental factors that increase the inheritance of plastids through pollen.

The increased expression of certain human endogenous retroviruses induces the cGAS–STING pathway and drives cell senescence and ageing.

Erdinç Sezgin advocates for the need to embrace non-academic career choices.

Yonatan Stelzer highlights a landmark work from the lab of Howard Cedar that addresses how genome-wide DNA methylation patterns are established and instructed by the DNA sequence.

Early zebrafish embryos increase the size and complexity of their nuclear pore complexes, enabling efficient nuclear import of maternal transcription factors, which induces zygotic genome activation.