Nature Communications最新文献

Moiré materials provide a remarkably tunable platform for topological and strongly correlated quantum phases of matter. Very recently, the first Abelian fractional Chern insulators (FCIs) at zero magnetic field have been experimentally demonstrated, and it has been theoretically predicted that non-Abelian states with Majorana fermion excitations may be realized in the nearly dispersionless minibands of these systems. Here, we provide telltale evidence based on many-body exact diagonalization for the even more exotic possibility of moiré-based non-Abelian FCIs exhibiting Fibonacci parafermion excitations. In particular, we obtain low-energy quantum numbers, spectral flow, many-body Chern numbers, and entanglement spectra consistent with the ({{mathbb{Z}}}_{3}) Read–Rezayi parafermion phase in an exemplary moiré system with tunable quantum geometry. Our results hint towards the robustness of moiré-based parafermions and encourage the pursuit in moiré systems of these non-Abelian quasiparticles that are superior candidates for topological quantum computing.

The quantum anomalous Hall effect in layered antiferromagnet MnBi₂Te₄ harbors a rich interplay between magnetism and topology, holding a significant promise for low-power electronic devices and topological antiferromagnetic spintronics. In recent years, MnBi₂Te₄ has garnered considerable attention as the only known material to exhibit the antiferromagnetic quantum anomalous Hall effect. However, this field faces significant challenges as the quantization at zero magnetic field depending critically on fabricating high-quality devices. In this article, we introduce a straightforward yet effective method to mitigate the detrimental effect of the standard fabrication on MnBi₂Te₄ by depositing an AlO_x layer on the surface before fabrication. Optical contrast and magnetotransport measurements on over 50 MnBi₂Te₄ demonstrate that AlO_x can effectively preserve the pristine states of the devices. Surprisingly, we find this simple method can significantly enhance the anomalous Hall effect towards quantization, which resolves a longstanding challenge in the field of MnBi₂Te₄. Scaling relation analysis further reveals the intrinsic mechanism of anomalous Hall effect dominated by Berry curvature at various magnetic configuration. By tuning the gate voltage, we uncover a gate independent magnetism in odd-layer MnBi₂Te₄ devices. Our experiments not only pave the way for the fabrication of high-quality dissipationless transport devices, but also advance the investigation of exotic topological quantum phenomena in 2D materials.

Correction to: Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56203-3, published online 3 February 2025

NOVA1, a neuronal RNA-binding protein expressed in the central nervous system, is essential for survival in mice and normal development in humans. A single amino acid change (I197V) in NOVA1’s second RNA binding domain is unique to modern humans. To study its physiological effects, we generated mice carrying the human-specific I197V variant (Nova1^hu/hu) and analyzed the molecular and behavioral consequences. While the I197V substitution had minimal impact on NOVA1’s RNA binding capacity, it led to specific effects on alternative splicing, and CLIP revealed multiple binding peaks in mouse brain transcripts involved in vocalization. These molecular findings were associated with behavioral differences in vocalization patterns in Nova1^hu/hu mice as pups and adults. Our findings suggest that this human-specific NOVA1 substitution may have been part of an ancient evolutionary selective sweep in a common ancestral population of Homo sapiens, possibly contributing to the development of spoken language through differential RNA regulation during brain development.

TEAD (transcriptional enhanced associate domain) transcription factors (TEAD1-4) serve as the primary effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway in various cancers. Targeted therapy leads to the emergence of resistance and the underlying mechanism of resistance to TEAD inhibition in cancers is less characterized. We uncover that upregulation of the AP-1 (activator protein-1) transcription factors, along with restored YAP (yes-associated protein) and TEAD activity, drives resistance to GNE-7883, a pan-TEAD inhibitor. Acute GNE-7883 treatment abrogates YAP-TEAD binding and attenuates FOSL1 (FOS like 1) activity. TEAD inhibitor resistant cells restore YAP and TEAD chromatin occupancy, acquire additional FOSL1 binding and exhibit increased MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway activity. FOSL1 is required for the chromatin binding of YAP and TEAD. This study describes a clinically relevant interplay between the Hippo and MAPK pathway and highlights the key role of MAPK pathway inhibitors in mitigating resistance to TEAD inhibition in Hippo pathway dependent cancers.

The need for precise modulation of blood concentrations of pharmaceutical molecule, especially for high-risk drugs like Methotrexate (MTX), is underscored by the significant impact of individual variations on treatment efficacy. Achieving selective recognition of pharmaceutical molecules within the complex biological environment is a substantial challenge. To tackle this, we propose a synergistic atomic-molecular docking strategy that utilizes a hybrid-dual single-atom Fe1-Zn1 on a TiO2 photoelectrode to selectively bind to the carboxyl and aminopyrimidine groups of MTX respectively. By integrating this Fe₁-Zn₁-TiO₂ photoelectrode with a microcomputer system, an implantable photoelectrochemical-therapeutic drug monitoring (PEC-TDM) system is developed for real-time, continuous in vivo MTX monitoring. This system facilitates personalized therapeutic decision-making and intelligent drug delivery for individualized cancer therapy, potentially revolutionizing oncological care and enhancing patient outcomes.

High-throughput sequencing facilitates large-scale studies of gene regulation and allows tracing the associations of individual genomic variants with changes in gene regulation and expression. Compared to classic association studies, the assessment of an allelic imbalance at heterozygous variants captures functional variant effects with smaller sample sizes, higher sensitivity, and better resolution. Yet, identification of allele-specific variants from allelic read counts remains challenging due to data-dependent biases and overdispersion arising from technical and biological variability. We present MIXALIME, a novel computational framework for calling allele-specific variants in diverse omics data with a repertoire of statistical models accounting for read mapping bias and copy number variation. We benchmark MIXALIME with DNase-Seq, ATAC-Seq, and CAGE-Seq data, and we demonstrate that the allelic imbalance highlights causal variants in GWAS results. Finally, as a showcase of the large-scale practical application of MIXALIME, we present an atlas of variants exhibiting allele-specific chromatin accessibility, built from thousands of available datasets obtained from diverse cell types.

arising from B. Appelman et al. Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44432-3 (2024)

Biopesticides have emerged as a global trend to minimize the risks associated with synthetic agrochemicals. However, their stability and efficacies remain challenges for widespread application. Herein, co-assembled nanoparticles (AT NPs or AP NPs) based on azadirachtin (AZA) and tannic acid (TA) or phenylalanine (PA) are constructed in aqueous solution through self-assembly technology. The small particle size, low PDI, high ζ-potential, and related other physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles can improve wettability, adhesiveness, rain erosion resistance, and photostability compared to the commercial AZA formulation. Importantly, co-assemblies with bidirectional pH-responsive disassembly in acidic or alkaline solutions, allow them to respond to microenvironmental stimuli of targets and enable controlled release of AZA. The nanosystems demonstrated remarkable in vitro and in vivo insecticidal activities against Ostrinia furnacalis and Aphis gossypii. This study illustrates a distinctive perspective for developing eco-friendly nanosystems, highlighting a water-based treatment method for biopesticides with improved physicochemical properties and utilization efficiency.

Cells and organisms frequently experience starvation. To survive, they mount an evolutionarily conserved stress response. A vital component in the mammalian starvation response is eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase (eEF2K), which suppresses translation in starvation by phosphorylating and inactivating the translation elongation driver eEF2. C. elegans EFK-1/eEF2K phosphorylates EEF-2/eEF2 on a conserved residue and is required for starvation survival, but how it promotes survival remains unclear. Surprisingly, we found that eEF2 phosphorylation is unchanged in starved C. elegans and EFK-1’s kinase activity is dispensable for starvation survival, suggesting that efk-1 promotes survival via a noncanonical pathway. We show that efk-1 upregulates transcription of DNA repair pathways, nucleotide excision repair (NER) and base excision repair (BER), to promote starvation survival. Furthermore, efk-1 suppresses oxygen consumption and ROS production in starvation to prevent oxidative stress. Thus, efk-1 enables starvation survival by protecting animals from starvation-induced oxidative damage through an EEF-2-independent pathway.