Books & Arts |
Featured
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Letter |
Modular and tunable biological feedback control using a de novo protein switch
DegronLOCKR designer-protein technology is used to implement synthetic positive- and negative-feedback systems in the yeast mating pathway as well as feedback control of a synthetic gene circuit.
- Andrew H. Ng
- , Taylor H. Nguyen
- & Hana El-Samad
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Article |
De novo design of bioactive protein switches
A technique for the de novo design of switchable protein systems controlled by induced conformational change is demonstrated for three functional motifs, in vitro and in yeast and mammalian cells.
- Robert A. Langan
- , Scott E. Boyken
- & David Baker
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Career Q&A |
A skilful route out of academia
Catriona Manville made the most of her work and volunteer experience to land a job outside academia that utilizes her research skills.
- Nikki Forrester
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News & Views |
Hijack of CRISPR defences by selfish genes holds clinical promise
Parasitic genetic elements called transposons carry CRISPR machinery that is normally used against them by bacterial cells. This paradox has now been explained, with implications for gene-therapy research.
- Fyodor D. Urnov
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Article |
Transposon-encoded CRISPR–Cas systems direct RNA-guided DNA integration
A programmable transposase integrates donor DNA at user-defined genomic target sites with high fidelity, revealing a new approach for genetic engineering that obviates the need for DNA double-strand breaks and homologous recombination.
- Sanne E. Klompe
- , Phuc L. H. Vo
- & Samuel H. Sternberg
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Editorial |
After the Integrative Human Microbiome Project, what’s next for the microbiome community?
The latest phase of this ambitious undertaking has provided important insights into inflammatory bowel disease, the onset of type 2 diabetes and preterm birth. But fully integrated multidisciplinary collaborations are now needed to convert knowledge of the microbiome into clinical applications.
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Spotlight |
The biotechnologists making their mark on the international stage
Nature meets five scientists working in non-Western nations.
- Bianca Nogrady
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Technology Feature |
A DIY approach to automating your lab
Do-it-yourself projects give researchers the equipment they need at bargain prices. But making your own technology requires commitment and time, and it is rarely easy.
- Mike May
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Nature Index |
Small advances amount to big changes in biomedical sciences
The United States’ lead is shrinking in the race to extend human life.
- Catherine Armitage
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Nature Index |
Lili Milani banks Estonia’s genomic potential
At the Estonian Genome Centre, the geneticist and her team are investigating the impact of genetic variations on drug metabolism and adherence to prescriptions.
- Bec Crew
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Nature Index |
New tools for new treatments
From antibiotics and organoids to CRISPR, improved biomedical methods and apparatus are enabling new therapies.
- Jennifer Cooke
- & Bec Crew
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Nature Index |
Stem-cell and genetic therapies make a healthy marriage
This scientific partnership could fight everything from blood diseases to HIV.
- Bianca Nogrady
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Article |
Total synthesis of Escherichia coli with a recoded genome
High-fidelity convergent total synthesis is used to produce
Escherichia coli with a 61-codon synthetic genome that uses 59 codons to encode all of the canonical amino acids.- Julius Fredens
- , Kaihang Wang
- & Jason W. Chin
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Letter |
Transcriptional cofactors display specificity for distinct types of core promoters
A screen of 23 transcriptional cofactors for their ability to activate 72,000 candidate core promoters in Drosophila melanogaster identified distinct compatibility groups, providing insight into mechanisms that underlie the selective activation of transcriptional programs.
- Vanja Haberle
- , Cosmas D. Arnold
- & Alexander Stark
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Article |
Molecular recording of mammalian embryogenesis
A multi-channel molecular recording technique is applied as a lineage tracer to assemble cell-fate maps from fertilization through gastrulation in the mouse, providing insights into ontogeny in a complex multicellular organism.
- Michelle M. Chan
- , Zachary D. Smith
- & Jonathan S. Weissman
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Article |
Charting cellular identity during human in vitro β-cell differentiation
Single-cell transcriptional profiling of in vitro human pancreatic β-cell differentiation reveals progenitor and terminal fates, produces a detailed time course of endocrine induction and underpins a lineage model.
- Adrian Veres
- , Aubrey L. Faust
- & Douglas A. Melton
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Letter |
An ultra-stable gold-coordinated protein cage displaying reversible assembly
An artificial protein cage is readily assembled by metal ion coordination and disassembled by reducing agents, and displays excellent chemical and thermal stability.
- Ali D. Malay
- , Naoyuki Miyazaki
- & Jonathan G. Heddle
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Letter |
MicroRNA therapy stimulates uncontrolled cardiac repair after myocardial infarction in pigs
MicroRNAs delivered by adeno-associated viral vectors improve global and regional contractility, increase muscle mass and reduce scar size in a porcine model of myocardial infarction.
- Khatia Gabisonia
- , Giulia Prosdocimo
- & Mauro Giacca
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Correspondence |
Germline editing: could ban encourage medical tourism?
- Eli Y. Adashi
- & I. Glenn Cohen
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Letter |
Transcriptome-wide off-target RNA editing induced by CRISPR-guided DNA base editors
CRISPR DNA base editors induce transcriptome-wide off-target RNA editing, which can be reduced by using engineered variants that retain on-target DNA editing activities.
- Julian Grünewald
- , Ronghao Zhou
- & J. Keith Joung
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Research Highlight |
Genetic ‘weapon’ picks off pathogens — but spares beneficial microbes
Structures made of DNA are designed to target the bacteria that cause cholera.
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Letter |
Precise therapeutic gene correction by a simple nuclease-induced double-stranded break
Disease-causing microduplications can be corrected by harnessing an endogenous double-stranded break DNA repair pathway.
- Sukanya Iyer
- , Sneha Suresh
- & Scot A. Wolfe
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Books & Arts |
Blood money: the biotech debacle of Theranos on screen
The rise and fall of the medical-testing company features in a new documentary. Heidi Ledford sums up.
- Heidi Ledford
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Letter |
CAR T cell trogocytosis and cooperative killing regulate tumour antigen escape
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) promote antigen loss in tumour cells by trogocytosis, which results in T cell fratricide killing and exhaustion but can be counteracted by cooperative killing and combinatorial targeting.
- Mohamad Hamieh
- , Anton Dobrin
- & Michel Sadelain
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Letter |
Transcriptome-scale super-resolved imaging in tissues by RNA seqFISH+
seqFISH+, an evolution of sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization with super-resolution imaging capabilities, is used to image mRNAs of 10,000 genes in cultured cells and mouse brain slices, demonstrating the ability to generate spatial atlases and to perform discovery-driven studies in situ.
- Chee-Huat Linus Eng
- , Michael Lawson
- & Long Cai
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Spotlight |
How biomaterials will support China’s ageing population
Materials researchers are finding innovative ways to improve the country’s health-care system.
- Sarah O’Meara
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Correspondence |
NIH supports call for moratorium on clinical uses of germline gene editing
- Carrie D. Wolinetz
- & Francis S. Collins
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Correspondence |
Academies’ action plan for germline editing
- Victor J. Dzau
- , Marcia McNutt
- & Venki Ramakrishnan
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Research Highlight |
Spider silk does the twist when the weather is right
One species’ silk can make almost a full revolution when exposed to sufficient humidity.
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Obituary |
Manfred Eigen (1927–2019)
Observer of fast reactions in the laboratory and in life.
- Georgina Ferry
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News |
Scientists brew cannabis using hacked beer yeast
Researchers modify microbe to manufacture cannabis compounds including the psychoactive chemical THC.
- Elie Dolgin
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Letter |
Complete biosynthesis of cannabinoids and their unnatural analogues in yeast
Genetic engineering of yeast enables the production of cannabinoids and cannabinoid analogues from the simple sugar galactose, without the need to cultivate Cannabis.
- Xiaozhou Luo
- , Michael A. Reiter
- & Jay D. Keasling
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Technology Feature |
Matrix mimics shape cell studies
The extracellular matrix governs a surprising number of cellular functions. New techniques are revealing how cells and matrix communicate — and why this cross-talk matters.
- Jyoti Madhusoodanan
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Article |
The single-cell transcriptional landscape of mammalian organogenesis
Data from single-cell combinatorial-indexing RNA-sequencing analysis of 2 million cells from mouse embryos between embryonic days 9.5 and 13.5 are compiled in a cell atlas of mouse organogenesis, which provides a global view of developmental processes occurring during this critical period.
- Junyue Cao
- , Malte Spielmann
- & Jay Shendure
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Letter |
Multiplex chromatin interactions with single-molecule precision
A strategy using droplet-based and barcode-linked sequencing captures multiplex chromatin interactions at single-molecule precision, and here provides topological insight into chromatin structures and transcription in Drosophila.
- Meizhen Zheng
- , Simon Zhongyuan Tian
- & Yijun Ruan
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Article |
Diabetes relief in mice by glucose-sensing insulin-secreting human α-cells
Islet non-β-cells from non-diabetic and diabetic human donors are modified via the transcription factors PDX1 and MAFA to produce and secrete insulin in response to glucose.
- Kenichiro Furuyama
- , Simona Chera
- & Pedro L. Herrera
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Outlook |
Genomic focus brings tea research to the boil
Genetic manipulation and innovative breeding techniques are paving the way to new tea varieties.
- Elie Dolgin
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News |
Sizzling interest in lab-grown meat belies lack of basic research
‘Clean meat’ firms have drawn tens of millions of dollars in investment in recent years, but technical hurdles remain.
- Elie Dolgin
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Article |
CasX enzymes comprise a distinct family of RNA-guided genome editors
CRISPR–CasX represents a distinct RNA-guided platform that is functionally separate from Cas9 and Cas12a and is active for bacterial and human genome modification.
- Jun-Jie Liu
- , Natalia Orlova
- & Jennifer A. Doudna
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Toolbox |
Five innovative ways to use 3D printing in the laboratory
As the cost of 3D printers tumbles, researchers have begun using them to make everything from bespoke equipment for experiments to realistic models of human organs.
- Andrew Silver
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News & Views |
Implanted device enables responsive bladder control
Implants that electrically stimulate nerves continuously to treat disease can cause off-target effects and pain. An implant that uses light to modulate the activity of genetically modified nerve cells might offer a solution.
- Ellen T. Roche
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Nature Index |
Engineering a biomedical revolution
A permissive regulatory climate and a pragmatic approach has seen China’s bioscience sector soar.
- Smriti Mallapaty
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Spotlight |
How Indian biotech is driving innovation
Bolstered by government support, a wealth of investment and an eager graduate workforce, the country’s biotechnology industry is booming.
- Bianca Nogrady
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Career Feature |
The scientists who feed us
Scientists in the food industry find diverse roles from mediating public-health scares to perfecting meatless burgers.
- David Payne
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