Volume 23 Issue 5, May 2022

Arnold et al. document an alternative tricarboxylic acid cycle that takes place between the mitochondria and the cytosol and that can be adopted in specific cell states.

The solid phase of oskar mRNA granules is required for proper Oskar protein synthesis and fruit fly development.

The transcription factor c-Maf is required for the specification of liver sinusoids and for the maintenance of a specialized sinusoidal network necessary for sustaining hepatocyte function.

Ting and Lee describe how the trypanosome base J ‘inspired’ the discovery of the mechanism of active DNA demethylation.

Transposons and their host genomes are entangled in an evolutionary arms race, recounts Tuğçe Aktaş.

The majority of macromolecules are transported across the nuclear membrane by the Karyopherin-β (Kap) proteins, comprising importins, exportins and biportins. Unravelling mechanisms and regulation of Kap–cargo interactions is essential for understanding nuclear export and import of proteins and RNA and how this traffic impacts their physiological functions.

Lysine acetyltransferases and lysine deacetylases regulate gene expression and protein function by controlling acetylation and deacetylation of histones and diverse non-histone proteins. The activity of lysine acetyltransferases and lysine deacetylases is regulated by cellular metabolic states, offering the potential for therapeutic modulation through dietary and pharmacological interventions.

E3 ubiquitin ligases ensure the precise spatiotemporal control of key molecules during important cellular processes. This Review discusses the crucial roles of E3 ligases during early mammalian development and their roles in human disease, and considers how new methods to manipulate the ubiquitin regulatory machinery — for example, the development of molecular glues and PROTACs — might facilitate clinical therapy.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate cell–cell communication in physiology and pathology but many questions remain about the mechanisms governing their delivery to recipient cells. This Expert Recommendation article highlights areas of progress and challenges in establishing the importance of EV-mediated communication in vivo.