The exchange of biological matter between bacterial cells drives adaptation and evolution. However, whether bacteria can exchange functional proteins remains unclear. In this work, we found that antib...

Cobb looks back at the complicated series events that led to the discovery of messenger RNA, highlighting the often difficult problem of attributing credit for scientific advances.

Abstract. Cap-adjacent 2′-O-ribose methylation (cOMe) of the first two transcribed nucleotides of RNA polymerase II transcripts is a conserved feature in m

Scientists caution that more research is needed, but nearly all of the patients who responded to the personalized vaccine are still alive six years later.

Rodriguez-Algarra et al. present an analysis of the prevalence of ribosomal DNA variants in UK Biobank participants, revealing associations with multiple human complex traits. Notably, a cluster of hu...

Liu et al. show that the integrated stress response kinase GCN2 is essential for hypoxic adaptation by maintaining iron and redox homeostasis. Using zebrafish and human cell models, they find that GCN2 deficiency disrupts iron metabolism, sensitizes cells to ferroptosis, and contributes to anemia under hypoxic stress.

The authors review the consequences of mutations in genes linked to rare hereditary disorders associated with G-quadruplex (G4)-induced replisome stalling, as well as the molecular functions and cellu...

In eukaryotic ribosomes, ∼2% of RNA nucleotides undergo 2′-O-methylation, a conserved cellular mechanism thought to be critical for maintaining and re…

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on a Framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fis...

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Most pachytene PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have no biological function; however, a small population enhances sperm fitness, which has led to their persistence in mammalian evolution.

Lee et al. report a mechanism regulating mRNP export mediated by N6-adenosine methylation, METTL3 and NUP93 with potential implications for nephrotic syndrome and other human diseases.

Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (ARC) is an RNA-binding protein that also serves as a central hub for neuronal protein-protein interactions. It is essential for intercellular signaling and contributes to synaptic plasticity. ARC includes Gag-like sequences of Ty3/Gypsy retrotransp …

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate technology pioneers and recognize the mentorship that is necessary to inspire the current generation and those of the future.

Abou Karam et al. identify a cell communication mechanism used by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The parasite delivers its mRNAs into monocytes and imports them into their protected nuclei, where they perturb the splicing. This extracellular RNA-based strategy disrupts host transcript processing and immune signaling, revealing another layer of host interference.

Duplicated self-interacting proteins can interact and interfere with each other’s function. Cisneros, Mattenberger, et al. show that selection against interfering loss-of-function alleles extends the ...

Scientists and medical experts are countering climate denialism, vaccine scepticism and wellness pseudoscience on social media.

LARP6 is an EMT-associated RNA-binding protein with diverse RNA targets. Here, the authors show that the N-terminal disordered region of LARP6 promotes RNA-binding selectivity by modulating the adjace...

Giant DNA viruses encode a cap-binding complex homologous to eIF4F, the defining translation-initiation complex of eukaryotes. The viral cap-binding complex is required for viral protein synthesis and...

Cells down-regulate protein synthesis when stressed to conserve energy and shift resources toward repair. We found that in some mammalian cells, including neurons, stress also resulted in the formatio...

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Published online: 13 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41580-026-00948-2This Review discusses new insights into the intricate regulation of mitochondrial protein synthesis, the pathological consequences of its dysfunction in cancer and immunity, and the complexity of therapeutic targeting of mitochondrial translation.

The emergence of a chemical system capable of self-replication and evolution is a critical event in the origin of life. RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but their large size and structural ...

Aldikacti et al. use fitness landscapes to explore proteostasis under stress and uncover genetic factors that become essential when key protein quality control systems are compromised. They highlight how aggregation of specific proteins drives lethal vulnerabilities in particular genetic or environmental backgrounds, advancing our understanding of stress resilience mechanisms.

Cells rely on regulated proteostasis mechanisms to keep their internal compartments functioning properly. When these mechanisms fail, damaged proteins accumulate, disrupting organelles, such as the n....