Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69556-0
Fang Xie, Ada Gjyrezi, Daniel Fein, Maryam Labaf, Larysa Poluben, Betul Ersoy-Fazlioglu, Christopher M. Dennehy, Olga Voznesensky, Aniket Gad, Eva Corey, Andreas Varkaris, David J. Einstein, Rupal S. Bhatt, Paraskevi Giannakakou, Steven P. Balk
Docetaxel is the first-line chemotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer (PC), but clinically meaningful mechanisms of resistance remain to be established. Here we show, in an in vivo model of docetaxel resistant PC patient-derived xenografts, increased expression of genes that drive development of multiciliated cells including FOXJ1 and its effectors, many of which regulate microtubules (MTs). Mechanistically, FOXJ1 overexpression confers docetaxel resistance in vitro and in vivo, which is associated with decreased docetaxel-mediated MT bundling. Overexpression of a MT-associated FOXJ1-regulated gene (TPPP3) has similar effects. Conversely, FOXJ1 knockdown impairs basal MT function, enhances taxane binding to MTs, and increases docetaxel sensitivity. These results establish mechanistic causality between the FOXJ1 signaling axis, MT biology, and taxane resistance. Clinically, FOXJ1 gene amplification is increased in taxane-treated PC patients. Moreover, in the CHAARTED clinical trial of docetaxel combined with androgen deprivation for metastatic PC, higher baseline FOXJ1 is predictive of decreased survival in PC patients treated with docetaxel, further supporting clinical relevance. Together, these findings identify a previously unrecognized clinically impactful mechanism of taxane resistance whose exploitation could stratify patients who will not benefit from taxane treatment.
{"title":"FOXJ1 mediates taxane resistance through regulation of microtubule dynamics","authors":"Fang Xie, Ada Gjyrezi, Daniel Fein, Maryam Labaf, Larysa Poluben, Betul Ersoy-Fazlioglu, Christopher M. Dennehy, Olga Voznesensky, Aniket Gad, Eva Corey, Andreas Varkaris, David J. Einstein, Rupal S. Bhatt, Paraskevi Giannakakou, Steven P. Balk","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69556-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69556-0","url":null,"abstract":"Docetaxel is the first-line chemotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer (PC), but clinically meaningful mechanisms of resistance remain to be established. Here we show, in an in vivo model of docetaxel resistant PC patient-derived xenografts, increased expression of genes that drive development of multiciliated cells including FOXJ1 and its effectors, many of which regulate microtubules (MTs). Mechanistically, FOXJ1 overexpression confers docetaxel resistance in vitro and in vivo, which is associated with decreased docetaxel-mediated MT bundling. Overexpression of a MT-associated FOXJ1-regulated gene (TPPP3) has similar effects. Conversely, FOXJ1 knockdown impairs basal MT function, enhances taxane binding to MTs, and increases docetaxel sensitivity. These results establish mechanistic causality between the FOXJ1 signaling axis, MT biology, and taxane resistance. Clinically, FOXJ1 gene amplification is increased in taxane-treated PC patients. Moreover, in the CHAARTED clinical trial of docetaxel combined with androgen deprivation for metastatic PC, higher baseline FOXJ1 is predictive of decreased survival in PC patients treated with docetaxel, further supporting clinical relevance. Together, these findings identify a previously unrecognized clinically impactful mechanism of taxane resistance whose exploitation could stratify patients who will not benefit from taxane treatment.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"119 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69555-1
Svetlana Mastitskaya, Felipe Santos Simões de Freitas, Lowri E. Evans, David Attwell
Failure to reperfuse the coronary microvasculature (“no-reflow”) affects up to 50% of patients after unblocking a coronary artery that was causing ischaemia and acute myocardial infarction. This “no-reflow” is associated with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, increased infarct size and death. We show that the incretin hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) can be used to protect the heart after ischaemia by activating ATP-sensitive K+ channels on pericytes that constrict coronary capillaries. Coronary capillary dilation can be activated pharmacologically or by vagally-mediated GLP-1 release from the gut evoked by skeletal muscle ischaemia, and is abolished by block or genetic deletion of pericyte KATP channels. These results define a brain-gut-heart pathway mediating cardioprotection and suggest pharmacological therapies to reduce ischaemia-induced coronary no-reflow and improve post-infarct recovery.
{"title":"GLP-1 activates KATP channels in coronary pericytes as the effector of brain-gut-heart signalling mediating cardioprotection","authors":"Svetlana Mastitskaya, Felipe Santos Simões de Freitas, Lowri E. Evans, David Attwell","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69555-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69555-1","url":null,"abstract":"Failure to reperfuse the coronary microvasculature (“no-reflow”) affects up to 50% of patients after unblocking a coronary artery that was causing ischaemia and acute myocardial infarction. This “no-reflow” is associated with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, increased infarct size and death. We show that the incretin hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) can be used to protect the heart after ischaemia by activating ATP-sensitive K+ channels on pericytes that constrict coronary capillaries. Coronary capillary dilation can be activated pharmacologically or by vagally-mediated GLP-1 release from the gut evoked by skeletal muscle ischaemia, and is abolished by block or genetic deletion of pericyte KATP channels. These results define a brain-gut-heart pathway mediating cardioprotection and suggest pharmacological therapies to reduce ischaemia-induced coronary no-reflow and improve post-infarct recovery.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"228 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stretchable neuromorphic optoelectronics requiring real-time perception and dynamic adaptive processing create tempting opportunities for wearable intelligent vision equipment. Existing bionic vision devices often lack scale-modulus deformable photosensitive materials and exhibit redundant manufacturing for complex structures to integrate optical neurofunctions, highlighting a critical gap in achieving both ductility and multifunctionality. Herein, we propose a defect-tunable viscoelastic photosensitive bulk-heterojunction based on multidimensional-phase-separation-induced micromesh for all-organic intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic visual adaptive transistors. The resultant devices demonstrate maintained high photosensitivity and multimodal broad-wavelength photoadaptation even under 100% biaxial mechanical strain. Notably, a record-ultrafast adaptive time down to 0.4 s is achieved by the all-organic intrinsically stretchable visual adaptive transistors, allowing a high energy-saving ratio of 88.4%. Moreover, a low paired-pulse depression index down to 44.37% is also accomplished, exhibiting the ability of abnormal discharges reduction and normal neural network function restore. The superior bionic visual adaptive systems allowing detailed time-varying intelligent information conversion, can realize highly misleading encrypted wireless optical communications. Furthermore, contrast vision-adaptive pixels are successfully constructed to avoid element absence for advanced driving assistance systems simulation in extreme environments. This technology promises to advance skin-like neuromorphic vision systems for applications including visual cryptography, bioinspired robots and unmanned intelligence.
{"title":"Intrinsically stretchable all-polymer neuromorphic visual adaptive transistors based on multidimensional-phase-separation-induced micromesh","authors":"Chengyu Wang, Mingcong Qin, Jianzhe Sun, Yangshuang Bian, Mingliang Zhu, Wenkang Shi, Jiaxin Hong, Yanyan Cao, Yiran Liu, Zhiyuan Zhao, Yunqi Liu, Yunlong Guo","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69534-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69534-6","url":null,"abstract":"Stretchable neuromorphic optoelectronics requiring real-time perception and dynamic adaptive processing create tempting opportunities for wearable intelligent vision equipment. Existing bionic vision devices often lack scale-modulus deformable photosensitive materials and exhibit redundant manufacturing for complex structures to integrate optical neurofunctions, highlighting a critical gap in achieving both ductility and multifunctionality. Herein, we propose a defect-tunable viscoelastic photosensitive bulk-heterojunction based on multidimensional-phase-separation-induced micromesh for all-organic intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic visual adaptive transistors. The resultant devices demonstrate maintained high photosensitivity and multimodal broad-wavelength photoadaptation even under 100% biaxial mechanical strain. Notably, a record-ultrafast adaptive time down to 0.4 s is achieved by the all-organic intrinsically stretchable visual adaptive transistors, allowing a high energy-saving ratio of 88.4%. Moreover, a low paired-pulse depression index down to 44.37% is also accomplished, exhibiting the ability of abnormal discharges reduction and normal neural network function restore. The superior bionic visual adaptive systems allowing detailed time-varying intelligent information conversion, can realize highly misleading encrypted wireless optical communications. Furthermore, contrast vision-adaptive pixels are successfully constructed to avoid element absence for advanced driving assistance systems simulation in extreme environments. This technology promises to advance skin-like neuromorphic vision systems for applications including visual cryptography, bioinspired robots and unmanned intelligence.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"410 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69169-7
Yuqi Shen, Kinam Gupta, Sue Mei Tan-Wong, Sean Wen, Christopher A Fisher, Liezel Tamon, Nicholas J Proudfoot, Richard J Gibbons, Douglas R Higgs
Germline mutations in the chromatin remodelling protein ATRX cause a severe developmental disorder associated with α-thalassemia. In addition, ATRX is amongst the twenty genes most frequently mutated in cancer. How ATRX mutations alter gene expression remains unclear. Using the α-globin locus as a model, here we show that ATRX deficiency downregulates α-globin in a subset of cells exhibiting DNA damage. A G-rich repeat at the α-globin locus serves as a potential site of G-quadruplex formation and DNA damage. ATRX binds this repeat co-transcriptionally, and its loss increases R-loop accumulation at this site, leading to local DNA damage and transcriptional disruption in cis. Deletion of this repeat abolishes this effect, while targeted DNA damage reinstates it. These findings reveal a mechanism linking ATRX's role in genome stability to transcriptional regulation and uncover a molecular basis of human genetic disease mediated via a distal G-rich repeat.
{"title":"ATRX loss couples genome instability at a G-rich repeat to dysregulation of human alpha-globin expression.","authors":"Yuqi Shen, Kinam Gupta, Sue Mei Tan-Wong, Sean Wen, Christopher A Fisher, Liezel Tamon, Nicholas J Proudfoot, Richard J Gibbons, Douglas R Higgs","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69169-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69169-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Germline mutations in the chromatin remodelling protein ATRX cause a severe developmental disorder associated with α-thalassemia. In addition, ATRX is amongst the twenty genes most frequently mutated in cancer. How ATRX mutations alter gene expression remains unclear. Using the α-globin locus as a model, here we show that ATRX deficiency downregulates α-globin in a subset of cells exhibiting DNA damage. A G-rich repeat at the α-globin locus serves as a potential site of G-quadruplex formation and DNA damage. ATRX binds this repeat co-transcriptionally, and its loss increases R-loop accumulation at this site, leading to local DNA damage and transcriptional disruption in cis. Deletion of this repeat abolishes this effect, while targeted DNA damage reinstates it. These findings reveal a mechanism linking ATRX's role in genome stability to transcriptional regulation and uncover a molecular basis of human genetic disease mediated via a distal G-rich repeat.</p>","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146195188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69526-6
Chang Wang, Filippo Cattalani, Ioan Iacovache, Arunasalam Naguleswaran, Faezeh Farhoosh, Jan Franzen, Laurence Abrami, F. Gisou van der Goot, Horst Posthaus, Benoît Zuber
Hemolysin β-pore-forming toxins (βPFTs) are key virulence factors of Clostridium perfringens, associated with severe diseases in humans and animals. Yet, the mechanisms by which Clostridium βPFTs recognize and engage specific target cells remain poorly understood. Here, we identify the cellular receptor for C. perfringens necrotizing enteritis toxin F (NetF), a recently discovered toxin implicated in severe enteritis in dogs and foals. We show that NetF binds to the same receptor as anthrax toxin, namely ANTXR2. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we determined the structure of the oligomeric NetF pre-pore as well as the transmembrane pore, both alone and in complex with the extracellular domain of ANTXR2. Unlike anthrax toxin, which binds to the apical MIDAS motif of ANTXR2 – as does the natural ANTXR2 ligand collagen type VI – NetF engages the receptor laterally, spanning both the von Willebrand A and the Ig-like domains. This interaction positions the toxin near the membrane, facilitating contact with membrane lipids and promoting transmembrane pore formation. Our findings uncover key principles of hemolysin βPFT-receptor recognition and advance our understanding of how pathogenic bacteria use these toxins to breach host defenses.
{"title":"Identification and structural characterization of anthrax toxin receptor 2 as the Clostridium perfringens NetF receptor","authors":"Chang Wang, Filippo Cattalani, Ioan Iacovache, Arunasalam Naguleswaran, Faezeh Farhoosh, Jan Franzen, Laurence Abrami, F. Gisou van der Goot, Horst Posthaus, Benoît Zuber","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69526-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69526-6","url":null,"abstract":"Hemolysin β-pore-forming toxins (βPFTs) are key virulence factors of Clostridium perfringens, associated with severe diseases in humans and animals. Yet, the mechanisms by which Clostridium βPFTs recognize and engage specific target cells remain poorly understood. Here, we identify the cellular receptor for C. perfringens necrotizing enteritis toxin F (NetF), a recently discovered toxin implicated in severe enteritis in dogs and foals. We show that NetF binds to the same receptor as anthrax toxin, namely ANTXR2. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we determined the structure of the oligomeric NetF pre-pore as well as the transmembrane pore, both alone and in complex with the extracellular domain of ANTXR2. Unlike anthrax toxin, which binds to the apical MIDAS motif of ANTXR2 – as does the natural ANTXR2 ligand collagen type VI – NetF engages the receptor laterally, spanning both the von Willebrand A and the Ig-like domains. This interaction positions the toxin near the membrane, facilitating contact with membrane lipids and promoting transmembrane pore formation. Our findings uncover key principles of hemolysin βPFT-receptor recognition and advance our understanding of how pathogenic bacteria use these toxins to breach host defenses.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"230 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69520-y
Jessica Huber, Diego Esposito, Sarah Maslen, Dominic O. Chambers, J. Mark Skehel, Katrin Rittinger
HECT E3 ligases regulate many cellular processes, yet how they recognise their substrates and synthesise specific types of poly-ubiquitin chains is still incompletely understood. HECTD3, a member of the “other HECT” family, is implicated in the regulation of inflammation, apoptosis, and infection and highly expressed in several cancers. These functions are largely attributed to its ligase activity and modification of diverse substrates with different types of ubiquitin chains. We present a detailed analysis of the ligase activity of HECTD3, including its ubiquitin linkage preferences, oligomeric state and substrate ubiquitination. Using cryo-EM, we provide the full-length structures of HECTD3 in both apo and ubiquitin-loaded forms, revealing key insights into its domain organisation, including discovery of a distinct fold of the N-terminal region, and mechanistic features. Some of these are shared with other HECT ligases, while others are unique to HECTD3 and contribute to differences in its catalytic mechanisms and functional diversity.
{"title":"Structure and mechanism of the HECT ligase HECTD3","authors":"Jessica Huber, Diego Esposito, Sarah Maslen, Dominic O. Chambers, J. Mark Skehel, Katrin Rittinger","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69520-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69520-y","url":null,"abstract":"HECT E3 ligases regulate many cellular processes, yet how they recognise their substrates and synthesise specific types of poly-ubiquitin chains is still incompletely understood. HECTD3, a member of the “other HECT” family, is implicated in the regulation of inflammation, apoptosis, and infection and highly expressed in several cancers. These functions are largely attributed to its ligase activity and modification of diverse substrates with different types of ubiquitin chains. We present a detailed analysis of the ligase activity of HECTD3, including its ubiquitin linkage preferences, oligomeric state and substrate ubiquitination. Using cryo-EM, we provide the full-length structures of HECTD3 in both apo and ubiquitin-loaded forms, revealing key insights into its domain organisation, including discovery of a distinct fold of the N-terminal region, and mechanistic features. Some of these are shared with other HECT ligases, while others are unique to HECTD3 and contribute to differences in its catalytic mechanisms and functional diversity.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"230 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69402-3
Joseph D. Berleant, James L. Banal, Dhriti K. Rao, Mark Bathe
Conventional storage and retrieval of nucleic acid specimens, particularly unstable RNA, rely on costly cold-chain infrastructure and inefficient robotic handling, inhibiting large-scale nucleic acid archives needed for global genomic biobanking. We introduce a scalable room-temperature storage system with minimal physical footprint that enables database-like queries on encapsulated, barcoded, and pooled nucleic acid samples. Queries incorporate numerical ranges, categorical filters, and combinations thereof, advancing beyond previous demonstrations of single-sample retrieval or Boolean classifiers. We evaluate this system on ninety-six mock SARS-CoV-2 genomic samples barcoded with theoretical patient data including age, location, and diagnostic state, demonstrating rapid, scalable retrieval. We further demonstrate storage and sequencing of human patient-derived nucleic acid samples, illustrating applicability to clinical genomic analysis. By avoiding freezer-based storage and retrieval, this approach scales to millions of samples without loss of fidelity or throughput, enabling large-scale pathogen and genomic repositories in under-resourced or isolated regions of the US and worldwide.
{"title":"Enabling global-scale nucleic acid repositories through versatile, scalable biochemical selection from room-temperature archives","authors":"Joseph D. Berleant, James L. Banal, Dhriti K. Rao, Mark Bathe","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69402-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69402-3","url":null,"abstract":"Conventional storage and retrieval of nucleic acid specimens, particularly unstable RNA, rely on costly cold-chain infrastructure and inefficient robotic handling, inhibiting large-scale nucleic acid archives needed for global genomic biobanking. We introduce a scalable room-temperature storage system with minimal physical footprint that enables database-like queries on encapsulated, barcoded, and pooled nucleic acid samples. Queries incorporate numerical ranges, categorical filters, and combinations thereof, advancing beyond previous demonstrations of single-sample retrieval or Boolean classifiers. We evaluate this system on ninety-six mock SARS-CoV-2 genomic samples barcoded with theoretical patient data including age, location, and diagnostic state, demonstrating rapid, scalable retrieval. We further demonstrate storage and sequencing of human patient-derived nucleic acid samples, illustrating applicability to clinical genomic analysis. By avoiding freezer-based storage and retrieval, this approach scales to millions of samples without loss of fidelity or throughput, enabling large-scale pathogen and genomic repositories in under-resourced or isolated regions of the US and worldwide.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"94 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69362-8
Daniyal Kiani, Gloria Rosetto, Faysal Ibrahim, Ozge Deniz Bozkurt, Ajinkya Pal, Elisabeth C. Van Roijen, Jason S. DesVeaux, Simon R. Bare, Ive Hermans, Gregg T. Beckham
Transitioning to a circular plastics economy will require use of renewable feedstocks, energy-efficient processes, and closed-loop recyclable polymers, such as polyesters. A key challenge lies in sustainably sourcing monomers used to make recyclable polyesters. This work presents a catalytic platform utilizing earth-abundant Cu(x)Ca(1-x)O mixed metal oxides for the oxidative dehydrocyclization of bio-based diols to lactones, which are advantaged for energy-efficient ring-opening polymerization. Operating below 200 °C, at ambient pressure, and without solvent, the process uses air as the sole oxidant, achieving high yields of lactones across a broad substrate scope of C4-8 diols in the liquid phase. The oxidative dehydrocyclization reaction is thermodynamically downhill due to water formation and energy-efficient compared to incumbent, non-redox pathways utilized in fossil carbon-based industrial processes for lactone production. Mechanistic studies reveal facile redox cycling of Cu2+-O(Ca2+)-Cu2+ interfacial sites unique to the developed catalyst. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment estimate 40% lower energy demand and 15% lower GHG intensity per mass of butyrolactone produced compared to the fossil carbon-based route. Liquid-phase oxidative dehydrocyclization offers a promising approach for scalable lactone production from renewable, bio-based diols to enable circular polyesters.
{"title":"Solventless, ambient-pressure production of bio-based lactones over earth-abundant, mixed metal oxide catalysts for circular polyesters","authors":"Daniyal Kiani, Gloria Rosetto, Faysal Ibrahim, Ozge Deniz Bozkurt, Ajinkya Pal, Elisabeth C. Van Roijen, Jason S. DesVeaux, Simon R. Bare, Ive Hermans, Gregg T. Beckham","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69362-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69362-8","url":null,"abstract":"Transitioning to a circular plastics economy will require use of renewable feedstocks, energy-efficient processes, and closed-loop recyclable polymers, such as polyesters. A key challenge lies in sustainably sourcing monomers used to make recyclable polyesters. This work presents a catalytic platform utilizing earth-abundant Cu(x)Ca(1-x)O mixed metal oxides for the oxidative dehydrocyclization of bio-based diols to lactones, which are advantaged for energy-efficient ring-opening polymerization. Operating below 200 °C, at ambient pressure, and without solvent, the process uses air as the sole oxidant, achieving high yields of lactones across a broad substrate scope of C4-8 diols in the liquid phase. The oxidative dehydrocyclization reaction is thermodynamically downhill due to water formation and energy-efficient compared to incumbent, non-redox pathways utilized in fossil carbon-based industrial processes for lactone production. Mechanistic studies reveal facile redox cycling of Cu2+-O(Ca2+)-Cu2+ interfacial sites unique to the developed catalyst. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment estimate 40% lower energy demand and 15% lower GHG intensity per mass of butyrolactone produced compared to the fossil carbon-based route. Liquid-phase oxidative dehydrocyclization offers a promising approach for scalable lactone production from renewable, bio-based diols to enable circular polyesters.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69246-x
Finaritra Raoelijaona, Joanna Szczepaniak, Adrien Schahl, James E. Bray, Jin Chuan Zhou, Lindsay Baker, Kamel El Omari, Edward Lowe, Yu Shang Low, Chandra M. Rodriguez, Michael J. Landsberg, J. Shaun Lott, Colin Kleanthous, Matthieu Chavent, Martin CJ Maiden, Elena Seiradake
Horizontal gene transfer events were crucial in the emergence of multicellular life. A striking example is the acquisition of Teneurins, putative surface-exposed toxins in bacteria that function as cell adhesion receptors in metazoan neuronal development. Here, we demonstrate the evolutionary relationships between metazoan and bacterial Teneurins. We use cryogenic electron microscopy and bioinformatic analysis to show that bacterial Teneurins harbour a toxic protein in a proteinaceous shell. They are rare but widely distributed across bacterial taxa and are predominantly seen in species with complex social behaviours, suggesting roles in cell-to-cell interaction. This work confirms that metazoan Teneurins are repurposed bacterial toxins that have evolved to be essential mediators of intercellular communication in all advanced nervous systems. Their acquisition was a key event in the evolution of metazoans.
{"title":"Ancestral neuronal receptors are bacterial accessory toxins","authors":"Finaritra Raoelijaona, Joanna Szczepaniak, Adrien Schahl, James E. Bray, Jin Chuan Zhou, Lindsay Baker, Kamel El Omari, Edward Lowe, Yu Shang Low, Chandra M. Rodriguez, Michael J. Landsberg, J. Shaun Lott, Colin Kleanthous, Matthieu Chavent, Martin CJ Maiden, Elena Seiradake","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69246-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69246-x","url":null,"abstract":"Horizontal gene transfer events were crucial in the emergence of multicellular life. A striking example is the acquisition of Teneurins, putative surface-exposed toxins in bacteria that function as cell adhesion receptors in metazoan neuronal development. Here, we demonstrate the evolutionary relationships between metazoan and bacterial Teneurins. We use cryogenic electron microscopy and bioinformatic analysis to show that bacterial Teneurins harbour a toxic protein in a proteinaceous shell. They are rare but widely distributed across bacterial taxa and are predominantly seen in species with complex social behaviours, suggesting roles in cell-to-cell interaction. This work confirms that metazoan Teneurins are repurposed bacterial toxins that have evolved to be essential mediators of intercellular communication in all advanced nervous systems. Their acquisition was a key event in the evolution of metazoans.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69188-4
Bin Wang, Junze Tian, Jianwei Wang, Shukang Xu, Shuangxiang Zhao, Jianhao Duan, Weifeng Zhang, Yangyang Liu, Tao Zeng, Erke Mao
High-precision three-dimensional (3D) imaging is essential for accurately perceiving environments, providing critical depth and spatial awareness. Among various approaches, solid-state LiDAR systems have garnered significant attention. However, depth precision, detection range and pixel scalability remain key challenges for their widespread adoption. Here, we report a large-array coherent flash 3D imaging system that achieves a sub-millimeter range precision through stepped-frequency modulation and coherent detection with CCD sensors. A coherent image sensor is developed, and a prototype system is demonstrated, providing 3D imaging with a depth precision as high as 0.47 mm over a range of 30.50 m at an optical power of 15.86 mW and a maximum frame rate of 10 Hz. Our system features high range precision, exceptional sensitivity across long distances, and robust pixel scalability by directly leveraging well-established CCD sensors. This advancement introduces a scalable approach to long-range high-precision 3D imaging, with substantial implications for deformation monitoring, virtual reality, and cultural heritage preservation.
{"title":"Large-array sub-millimeter precision coherent flash three-dimensional imaging","authors":"Bin Wang, Junze Tian, Jianwei Wang, Shukang Xu, Shuangxiang Zhao, Jianhao Duan, Weifeng Zhang, Yangyang Liu, Tao Zeng, Erke Mao","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69188-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69188-4","url":null,"abstract":"High-precision three-dimensional (3D) imaging is essential for accurately perceiving environments, providing critical depth and spatial awareness. Among various approaches, solid-state LiDAR systems have garnered significant attention. However, depth precision, detection range and pixel scalability remain key challenges for their widespread adoption. Here, we report a large-array coherent flash 3D imaging system that achieves a sub-millimeter range precision through stepped-frequency modulation and coherent detection with CCD sensors. A coherent image sensor is developed, and a prototype system is demonstrated, providing 3D imaging with a depth precision as high as 0.47 mm over a range of 30.50 m at an optical power of 15.86 mW and a maximum frame rate of 10 Hz. Our system features high range precision, exceptional sensitivity across long distances, and robust pixel scalability by directly leveraging well-established CCD sensors. This advancement introduces a scalable approach to long-range high-precision 3D imaging, with substantial implications for deformation monitoring, virtual reality, and cultural heritage preservation.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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