Congratulations to John Jumper and Demis Hassabis for winning the 2023 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award.

In this Tools of the Trade article, Sarah Paramore (from the Devenport and Nelson labs) discusses the use of mouse strains carrying genomic alterations in PCP genes and how they can increase our understanding of mammalian planar cell polarity.

Liang et al. show that mitochondria can be expelled from cells via extracellular vesicles as a route of quality control that is an alternative to lysosomal degradation.

Two papers published in 1991 established a new class of human genetic disorders, caused by expansion of simple DNA repeats.

The first study to show, in C. elegans, that sensory neurons have a role in lifespan regulation.

Antennapedia proteins were among the first proteins found to be exchanged intercellularly. This discovery by Alain Prochiantz and colleagues has inspired researchers of various backgrounds.

Bulut-Karslıoğlu remembers the publication of two seminal papers that described bivalent chromatin and how this discovery continues to affect research to this day.

To activate noncanonical LC3B lipidation and NLRP3 inflammasome formation, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) forms a proton channel in Golgi membranes.

Anne West recounts the study that showed postnatal accumulation of non-CpG DNA methylation in neurons coinciding with postnatal synapse maturation, suggesting that it contributes to brain function.

In the amphibian axolotl, the kinase mTOR is hyper-sensitive and activates a protein synthesis response that is crucial for wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Cutler and Vijg remind us of the publication that laid the foundation for genetic mutation theories of ageing.

In this Tools of the Trade article, Joleen Cheah (from the Ting lab) discusses the development of TransitID, which allows researchers to capture protein trafficking pathways in vivo without a priori knowledge of specific proteins of interest.

Cremer et al. show that the ubiquitin ligase RNF26 and vimentin-based intermediate filaments cooperate to control perinuclear ER membrane organization and thus facilitate recovery from ER stress.

Translation in the nucleus is a long-standing controversial issue with unclear physiological importance. Recent studies show that antigenic peptides for immune tolerance are derived from translation initiated at non-AUG codons of precursor mRNAs in the nucleus. It is therefore time to take a fresh look at nuclear translation and its interesting implications. Recent studies show that antigenic peptides

In this Tools of the Trade article, Roffay and Mercier (from the Roux lab) describe the development of fluorescent Flipper probes that allow measurement of membrane mechanics in vivo.

Cycles of stretch and compression, such as during cell migration through tissues, lead to stabilization of microtubules owing to redistribution of the plus-end-binding protein CLASP2 along microtubule lengths.

Transcription factors bind RNA through an Arg-rich motif; these interactions potentially promote transcription and development, and their dissociation can contribute to disease.

Shi et al. show the role of myosin VI in the protection of stalled replication forks during replication stress.

Diana Pinheiro recounts two seminal papers describing how cell surface tension dictates how cells sort into different tissues during development.

During cellular stresses, the mRNA internal 7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification is bound by QKI-7, which regulates the stability and/or translation of the mRNAs by sequestering them in stress granules.

In this Tools of the Trade article, William Leineweber (from the Fraley lab) describes the set-up of an integrated biophysical imaging platform that allows researchers to assess the interactions between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix.

The tight junction protein TJP1 is essential for controlling BMP signalling during patterning of human gastrulation models.

Transfection is a foundational technology in biosciences, biotechnology, and the development of biotherapeutic agents. Given its transcendence, it is problematic that transfection remains a poorly understood and insufficiently characterized endeavour. Here we state the case for the urgent reworking of transfection as a fit-for-purpose technological foundation for the ambitions of scientists and engineers

In this Tools of the Trade article, Edoardo José Longarini and Helen Dauben (from the Matić lab) describe the development and applications of mono-ADP-ribosylation antibodies and peptides.

Rogers et al. provide evidence that hypoxia is beneficial in mammalian ageing, extending the lifespan of prematurely ageing mice.

Subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complexes ‘bookmark’ cell-type specifying genes during mitosis to allow their timely reactivation upon mitosis exit.

In this Tools of the Trade article, Nouf Laqtom (at the Abu-Remaileh lab) describes the LysoIP system used to tag and isolate lysosomes for multi-omic approaches and to determine their composition under physiological and pathological states.

The biosynthesis and trafficking of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), many of enormous clinical importance, are complex multistep processes involving dozens of dedicated factors. Recent work indicates that the quality control of GPI-APs is similarly complex, varying substantially between different eukaryotic species and relying on several previously unknown cellular mechanisms

Transport of the developmental mRNA oskar to its destination at the posterior pole of the Drosophila embryo relies on the two dsRNA-binding proteins Egalitarian and Staufen that promote switching between the motor proteins dynein and kinesin.

A new study collaboratively delivered by Valentina Greco’s and Smita Krishnaswamy’s labs provides new insight into patterns of calcium signalling in epithelial tissues using intravital imaging of the basal layer of the mouse epidermis.

Zuzana Storchová recounts the discovery of the subtle yet significant consequences of polyploidy.

The eukaryotic genome is organized into topologically associating domains by cohesin and CTCF. Davidson et al. now reveal a role for DNA tension in the regulation of the CTCF–cohesin interaction to modulate domain boundaries.

Numerous various databases worldwide collate information on the growing number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that have been extensively characterized in several species. In this Comment, we overview the types and features of lncRNA databases, and discuss their contribution to facing challenges and seizing opportunities in lncRNA research. Numerous databases collate data on long non-coding RNAs

The discovery that peripheral organs such as the spleen support blood formation following radiation has inspired haematology research for over five decades.

In this Tools of the Trade article, Benjamin Jackson (at the Finley lab) describes the use of genetic co-essentiality analysis to interrogate the assembly of metabolic networks, fuelling discovery of new aspects of metabolism.

Cold temperature prolongs lifespan in nematodes by inducing ubiquitin-independent proteasome activity, which prevents protein aggregation and neuronal degeneration. The pathway is conserved in humans.

Shelby et al. demonstrate the existence of discrete domains in plasma membranes of B cells that selectively partition membrane-associated proteins.

Heterochromatin is a key characteristic of eukaryotic genomes. Since its cytological description nearly 100 years ago, our understanding of heterochromatin features and functions, including transcription repression and genome stability, have continuously evolved. In this Viewpoint article, experts provide their current opinions on heterochromatin definition, types and functional mechanisms. In this

Thoru Pederson recalls the impact that a 1968 paper from Dan Brown’s lab had on his career.