Physics

Abstract Cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) change color under strain, offering attractive prospects for soft robotics and photonic devices. However, the helical structure of CLCEs averages out the exceptional anisotropy and soft elasticity of the nematic phase, leaving little scope for also using the director orientation to program their thermal or mechanical actuation. Here, we develop programmable CLCE hollow fibers with longitudinal, circumferential, or twisted alignments via the integration of dynamic boronic ester bonds and mechanical force/pressure-induced orientation, all while preserving sufficient periodicity for structural color. Upon inflation, these fibers exhibit diverse motions—expansion, contraction, elongation, twisting—with synchronous color adaptation. Accordingly, we derive a membrane balloon model based on the non-ideal neo-classical LCE energy with suitable CLCE director profiles, successfully capturing key mechanical features including non-monotonicity and sub-criticality. This study provides a paradigm for the development of intelligent shape- and color-changing systems in a bespoke and versatile way.

Abstract Aging accelerates central nervous system remyelination failure and neurodegeneration. Microglia promote remyelination by phagocytosing myelin debris, but this function is impaired by aging-related CD22 upregulation. However, the molecular mechanisms counteracting premature aging-related microglial dysfunction and remyelination impairment remain unclear. Here, we report that Aurka-Bhlhe41 axis prevents premature aging-like microglial dysfunction and promotes remyelination by restraining progressive CD22 upregulation. We identified that microglia-enriched Bhlhe41 was negatively autoregulated and inhibited by Aurka loss. Bhlhe41- or Aurka -deficient young mice exhibited aging-like microglial morphology, phagocytic deficits, progressive CD22 upregulation, and remyelination impairment in cuprizone-induced demyelination model. Conversely, ectopic Bhlhe41 expression induced hypertrophic microglia, and counteracted phagocytic deficits and CD22 upregulation in Aurka -deficient microglia. CD22 blockade restored phagocytic function and remyelination in Bhlhe41 -deficient mice. Notably, a conserved pattern of CD22 upregulation was observed in human PCDH9 high microglia subsets with BHLHE41 downregulation. These findings offer insights into potential therapeutic strategies to combat aging-related neurodegeneration and central nervous system functional decline.

Weak seed dormancy (SD) is prone to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), which reduces cereal yield and quality. Here, through map-based analysis, we identify TaCNGC-2A, encoding a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel protein, as a negative regulator of wheat SD. Knocking out of TaCNGC-2A enhances SD and PHS resistance, with no yield penalty. Two transcription factors, TaMYB-5B and TaMYB-5D, directly bind to the T/A mutation site of TaCNGC-2A promoter to synergistically repress its expression. The calmodulin TaCaM-3A interacts with TaCNGC-2A to jointly modulate SD and PHS resistance through influencing calcium and multiple hormonal signaling pathways. Knocking out of TaCaM-3A not only enhances SD and PHS resistance, but also increases grain weight and per-plant yield. Finally, we identify allele combinations of TaCNGC-2A and other known dormancy genes associated with strong SD. This study uncovers a regulatory mechanism underlying SD and PHS resistance and provides gene targets for breeding wheat varieties with PHS resistance. Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) causes severe yield and quality loss in cereal crops worldwide. Here, the authors report a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel/Ca2 + -permeable channel encoding protein negatively regulate PHS and its involvement in modulating of calcium and hormonal signaling pathways in wheat.

Abstract Photon-recoil–based actuation enables maneuvering of micro- and nanoscale objects without beam steering or tight focusing, mitigating system complexity and photodamage. Recent light-driven microdrones achieved full control in two dimensions using multiple laser fields; however, for many applications, sacrificing degrees of freedom allows substantial miniaturization and improved propulsion efficiency. Here, we demonstrate sub-micrometer nanorobots actuated by a plasmonic directional antenna that simultaneously provides propulsion force and orientation control. The nanorobots reach propulsion speeds up to 50 μm/s, with their motion direction intrinsically locked perpendicular to the linear polarization axis. Circularly polarized light pulses lift the resulting twofold orientational degeneracy through spin–momentum transfer. Using opto-thermophoretic forces, nanorobots efficiently capture, transport, reversibly assemble, and release bacteria. By sequencing linear and circular polarization states, they execute complex, high-precision trajectories to systematically sweep defined regions, functioning as light-driven robotic cleaners. This work expands the capabilities of nanorobots for biological manipulation and high-speed, localized sensing.

Plants use the plant hormone auxin to incorporate environmental cues into their growth and development to shape the final form. Temperature is an important modulator of all aspects of plant function and growth. In this work, we uncover temperature-regulated accumulation and solubility of members of the AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR transcription factor family. We determine that ARF7 and ARF19 proteins rapidly hyperaccumulate in response to elevated temperature. Furthermore, we find that diffuse concentrations of ARF protein increase under elevated temperature, consistent with increased solubility. Temperature-driven ARF hyperaccumulation is not fully dependent on the well-established temperature response pathways. We find that natural variation in thermoregulated ARF accumulation is correlated with thermomorphogenesis, suggesting that this is a dial switch in plant temperature response. Regulated ARF thermoaccumulation provides a layer of complexity in shaping and plant growth and form, allowing plants to respond rapidly and persistently to elevated temperatures by modulating levels of nuclear ARF protein accumulation. Elevated temperature is shown to rapidly increase the abundance and solubility of key auxin regulators, ARF7 and ARF19. Natural variation in this thermoregulated accumulation correlates with plant growth responses, suggesting a tunable mechanism for temperature adaptation.

The 26S proteasome typically degrades proteins marked by ubiquitin chains. However, a distinct, ubiquitin-independent degradation pathway for nuclear proteins exists, mediated by the adaptor protein midnolin, yet its molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we present nine cryo-electron microscopy structures of the human 26S proteasome in complex with midnolin, which collectively delineate a near-complete catalytic cycle. Our structures reveal that midnolin binds to the proteasome via the RPN1 subunit by its C-terminal helix. Unexpectedly, its ubiquitin-like domain interacts with the RPN11 deubiquitinase in a non-catalytic role. This interaction positions the adjacent Catch domain, which is responsible for substrate binding, directly above the proteasomal entrance, potentially facilitating substrate entry into the proteasome. Furthermore, we observe four consecutive spiral staircase conformations of the AAA+ ATPase hexamer during substrate translocation. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-independent nuclear protein degradation and may help develop strategies for targeting nuclear proteins via direct proteasomal degradation. Proteasomes typically degrades ubiquitin-tagged proteins, but midnolin enables a distinct ubiquitin-independent pathway. Here, the authors present cryo-EM structures of the midnolin-proteasome complex, revealing how midnolin directly captures and feeds untagged nuclear proteins into the proteasome.

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have shown striking clinical potential in hormone receptor-positive breast cancers (BC) and endometrial cancers (EC), whereas resistance hinders their clinical utilization. The role of epigenetic alterations in CDK4/6i resistance remains poorly elucidated. Herein, through a comprehensive analysis of transcriptomic and chromatin profiles in 16 EC tissues and cell-based resistance models, we delineate the super-enhancer (SE) landscape and identify aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1) as a SE-driven gene closely associated with CDK4/6i resistance. ALDH1A1 inhibition increases susceptibility to CDK4/6i in multiple EC and BC models. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that ALDH1A1 promotes vitamin A (vitA) metabolism and induces the accumulation of its downstream metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), in resistant cells. In return, the elevated RA potentiates the interaction between retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the nucleus and facilitates RARα/ERα-occupied SE-driven transcriptional activation of ALDH1A1, establishing a positive feedback loop that promotes CDK4/6i resistance. These findings highlight the crucial role of vitA metabolism in the epigenetic transcriptional program associated with CDK4/6i resistance, suggesting that avoiding high vitA intake or inhibiting the ALDH1A1-RA axis may be effective strategies to overcome this challenge. CDK4/6 inhibitors response is limited by frequent resistance in hormone receptor– positive cancers. Here, the authors show that a super enhancer driven increase in aldehyde dehydrogenase creates a vitamin A/retinoic acid feedback loop that promotes resistance in breast and endometrial cancer.

Rooftop photovoltaics are widely recognized for the carbon mitigation benefits, yet uncertainties persist regarding their future dynamics and broader impacts on water and land. Here we develop a city-level integrated framework to quantify rooftop photovoltaics potential across 349 Chinese cities, and evaluate evolving carbon-water-land tradeoffs under shared socioeconomic and representative concentration pathways. By 2050, projections across 15 combined scenarios indicate China’s rooftop photovoltaic areas will increase by 9.2 to 34.8 percent relative to 2020 levels. Installed capacity ranges from 7.19 to 9.05 terawatts in 2050, expanding rapidly in eastern coastal cities. Under a moderate socioeconomic and climate scenario, the national carbon mitigation benefits peak during 2035 to 2040, accumulating 2.04 to 2.18 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050. In contrast, the water and land saving benefits continue to rise, reaching 16.5 to 17.4 cubic kilometers and 281 to 297 thousand square kilometers by 2050. These findings underscore the critical need for multidimensional planning to optimize future sustainable photovoltaics deployment. This study maps China’s rooftop PV potential across 349 cities through 2050. It reveals diverging trajectories where carbon mitigation peaks in 2035–2040, yet water and land savings rise continuously, highlighting PV system’s evolving systemic value.

Abstract Covalent organic frameworks with three-dimensional networks and interconnected porous structures show promising advantages for hydrogen peroxide photocatalysis. However, 3D COFs are typically constructed from 3D-oriented knots with less conjugation and insufficient light absorption, which significantly inhibits their performance. Herein, we present a universal defect engineering approach by systematically replacing T d knots with trigonal planar ligands and modifying linear linkers with electron-withdrawing/donating groups to achieve simultaneous enhancement of light absorption and precise electronic tuning of 3D donor-acceptor structures. Experimental results and theoretical analysis reveal that the optimized 3D COF with planar ligands induced defects and fluorine functional groups (COF-300-D-F), which achieve an H 2 O 2 production rate of 19.09 mmol g −1 h −1 and apparent quantum yield of 11.95% at 400 nm with benzyl alcohol as sacrificial agent. Moreover, the material maintains long-term stability during continuous operation exceeding 96 hours and exhibits high activity in photocatalytic benzylamine coupling reactions.

Spatial multi-omics enables the exploration of tissue microenvironments and heterogeneity from the perspective of different omics modalities across distinct spatial domains within tissues. To jointly analyze the spatial multi-omics data, computational methods are desired to integrate multiple omics with spatial information into a unified space. Here, we present SMART (Spatial Multi-omic Aggregation using gRaph neural networks and meTric learning), a computational framework for spatial multi-omic integration. SMART leverages a modality-independent modular and stacking framework with spatial coordinates and adjusts the aggregation using triplet relationships. SMART excels at accurately identifying spatial regions of anatomical structures, compatible with spatial datasets of any type and number of omics layers, while demonstrating exceptional computational efficiency and scalability on large datasets. Moreover, a variant of SMART, SMART-MS, expands its capabilities to integrate spatial multi-omics data across multiple tissue sections. In summary, SMART provides a versatile, efficient, and scalable solution for integrating spatial multi-omics data. Du and colleagues present SMART, a scalable and computationally efficient framework for integrating spatial multi-omics data to identify tissue domains. The approach shows applicability to large and multi-section spatial profiling datasets.

Abstract Photosynthetic electron transfer relies on small soluble carriers that shuttle electrons between the cytochrome b ₆ f complex and Photosystem I (PSI). While copper-containing plastocyanin (Pc) serves this role in plants, the heme protein cytochrome c ₆ (Cyt c ₆) is also employed in algae and cyanobacteria. Here, we present a cryo–electron microscopy structure of a Cyt c ₆:PSI complex from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . We observe that the heme group of Cyt c ₆ is positioned ~11 Å away from P700, stabilized by extensive contacts involving a N-terminal helix-loop-helix motif of PSAF, characteristic of eukaryotic PSI. Notably, the algal Cyt c ₆ also retains an arginine residue (R66) which is crucial for cyanobacterial donor:PSI reactions. Our structure reveals the previously uncharacterized interactions involving this residue; it can form a putative electrostatic contact with PsaB-D623 while also contributing to a tri-planar π(cation)-π interactions with adjacent residues. Our findings provide a structural framework for understanding the mechanism and evolution of donor:PSI interactions.

C2H4 and CH4 are essential for industrial applications. However, contamination with other natural gases is a challenge to their utilization. Although several sorbents have been investigated, their performance remains limited. This study introduces graphene-inspired, PPN-20, a porous polymer network (PPN) capable of separating C2H6/C2H4 and purifying CH4 from a C3H8/C2H6/CH4 mixture in a single step. The ultra-microporosity of PPN-20 enables preferential C-H···π interactions with C2H6 and C3H8. As a result, PPN-20 exhibits a C2H6 and C3H8 uptake of 3.93 mmol/g and 5.98 mmol/g, respectively, at 298 K and 1 bar, representing the highest reported for any PPN. It achieves ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) selectivities of 2.2 for C2H6/C2H4, 368.2 for C2H6/CH4, 40.14 for C3H8/C2H6, and 294,336 for C3H8/CH4. This selectivity, to the best of our knowledge, is the highest reported for any PPN in the case of C2H6/C2H4 separation and for any sorbent in the cases of C2H6/CH4, C3H8/C2H6, and C3H8/CH4 separation. Robustness tests, including breakthrough experiments, IAST calculations, etc., demonstrate the reliability of PPN-20. Its exceptional performance is attributed to precisely engineered pore sizes that enhance the trapping of guest molecules. These results will pave the way for the design of PPNs for short-chain hydrocarbon purification. A graphene-inspired porous polymer network acts as a molecular sieve, efficiently separating ethane from ethylene and purifying methane. Its finely tuned pores deliver record selectivity, offering a new path toward cleaner and energy-efficient natural gas processing.

Replacing the oxygen evolution reaction with more thermodynamically favourable organic oxidation reactions (OORs) can enable energy-efficient hydrogen evolution and hydrogenation. However, cathodic reduction rates are limited by sluggish OORs. Herein, we report a decoupled electrolysis strategy using a solid redox reservoir (RR) to realize an optimized hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) paired with valuable chemical synthesis. The decoupled system with a rechargeable capability features a HER coupled with RR oxidation for electricity storage, which is followed by the conversion of OORs (e.g., ethylene glycol, glycerol) into value-added chemicals coupled with the reduction of the oxidized RR to generate electricity. The fast kinetics of RR oxidation and membrane-free cell operation optimize the HER rate. The value-added chemicals and electricity are cocreated during the discharge process, offering more economic benefits. This decoupling design is universally applicable to other OORs-paired reduction systems (e.g., acetylene-to-ethylene semihydrogenation) to synthesize various chemicals for electricity storage and generation, paving a sustainable avenue for H2 production/hydrogenation and chemicals manufacturing. Using thermodynamically favourable organic oxidations instead of oxygen evolution enables energy-efficient cathodic reactions, but rates are limited by slow anodic kinetics. Here, the authors report decoupled charge‒discharge electrolysis using a solid redox reservoir to overcome this limitation.

Abstract This work presents a holistic integration of environmental sustainability and enhanced sensing performance throughout the full lifecycle of magnetoresistive sensors. Utilizing industry-scale screen-printing techniques combined with eco-friendly inks (formulated from engineered Fe/Fe 3 O 4 core-shell magnetic microparticles, bioderived polymeric binders, and water solvent), the fabrication process avoids harsh treatments and hazardous chemicals. The resulting sensors, constructed entirely from naturally sourced materials, inherently exhibit biocompatibility, biodegradability, and environmentally benign recyclability. These properties collectively demonstrate key attributes for a sustainable life cycle. Through rational engineering of the Fe/Fe 3 O 4 core-shell structure particles, two synergistic mechanisms are activated within the composite: spin-dependent hopping across Fe 3 O 4 shell grain boundaries and in situ magnetic flux concentration induced by Fe cores, thereby yielding an order-of-magnitude enhancement in low-field sensitivity relative to sputtered Fe film and printed Fe 3 O 4 particle-based counterparts, resulting in a higher magnetoresistance ratio at 10 mT relative to all printed magnetoresistive sensors reported previously. The convergence of eco-sustainability and high performance enables previously unattainable disposable magnetoelectronics, unlocking new opportunities for environmentally responsible and user-safe transient electronics and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Abstract Microtubule severing is essential for proper eukaryotic cell elongation and division. Here we show that the microtubule severing protein, KATANIN p60, is encoded by two genes in Zea mays L. (maize) called Discordia3a (Dcd3a) and Dcd3b . A semi-dominant mutant with short stature, poor fertility, and a clumped tassel was identified in Dcd3b called Clumped tassel1 ( Clt1 ). Genetic enhancers that further reduced stature and fertility were identified in inbred lines and mapped to the Dcd3a locus, identifying several dcd3a alleles. Loss-of-function p60 allele combinations reduce microtubule severing, fertility, and cell elongation. Cell elongation defects, in turn, contribute to G1 delay. KATANIN p60 is important for preprophase band (PPB) formation and positioning, and nuclear positioning in symmetric cell divisions. Misoriented PPBs lead to offset nuclei and rare misoriented symmetric divisions in mutants. A combination of these defects contributes to generating small mutant plants with fewer cells.

Amorphous materials, especially metallic glasses, are known for their exceptional mechanical properties, such as high yield strength and large yield strain. Understanding the microscopic mechanisms behind their failure, particularly the yielding transition, remains an active area of research. Previous studies have shown that yielding behaviour depends on the initial age of the sample. Through extensive computer simulations, we demonstrate that this age dependence varies across different materials and is influenced by the specific characteristics of the initial glass former, particularly its fragility. Both strong and fragile glass formers exhibit similar yielding behaviour in poorly annealed conditions with a critical yield strain, γc that does not depend on the initial conditions. However, below a critical degree of annealing, the yield point increases significantly with further annealing for fragile glasses, while it remains relatively constant for strong glasses. The results are found to be universal across a wide variety of model glassy systems with varying fragility, including metallic glasses, molecular glasses, model granular glasses, and network-forming glasses like Silica. We rationalise these findings by introducing a modified mean-field elastoplastic model that explicitly incorporates the crucial role of changing energy barrier with increasing annealing in the yielding process. This simple model reproduces all the simulation results and provides critical insights into how energy barriers influence the physics of the yielding transition including the critical yield strain under oscillatory shear deformation. Simulations show how glass fragility controls yielding under oscillatory shear. Strong and fragile glasses behave similarly when poorly annealed, but with annealing the yield point rises in fragile glasses only.

Non-ionic electronic skins offer intrinsic environmental stability, avoiding the leakage, volatility, and temperature sensitivity that limit ionic sensing systems. Yet, capacitive sensors based on electronic polarization typically exhibit low sensitivity because their dielectric modulation is confined to a single mode. Here, we introduce a dielectric-gradient, fully fiber-integrated non-ionic capacitive architecture that employs an impedance-driven enhancement mechanism. Controlled fiber deformation establishes a dual-variable dielectric network in which pressure-induced reduction of interfacial resistance and impedance releases suppressed polarization, yielding amplified capacitance far beyond that of conventional non-ionic sensors. The resulting device achieves ultrahigh sensitivity of 169.8 kPa−1 over a wide range of 20 Pa–8 MPa and maintains stable operation from −80 °C to 200 °C with less than 6% deviation. When integrated into a tactile-sensing glove and combined with machine learning, it attains 99.25% accuracy in recognizing multiple operational tools under both cryogenic and high-temperature conditions. These findings establish impedance engineering as a universal strategy for constructing high-gain, thermally robust, and reliable non-ionic electronic skins, enabling precision tactile sensing in environments previously inaccessible to flexible electronics. Capacitive sensors based on electronic polarization typically exhibit low sensitivity as their dielectric modulation is confined to a single mode. Here, the authors develop a dielectric-gradient all-fiber non-ionic electronic skin that converts interfacial impedance into signal amplification for tactile sensing.

Tandem duplications (TDs) are a common form of genomic rearrangements with both adaptive and pathogenic consequences. While prevalent in genomically unstable cancer genomes, TDs are rarely detected in normal tissues, suggesting the existence of robust protective mechanisms. Here, we identify the histone chaperone TONSL/TONSOKU (tnsl-1 in C. elegans) as a critical suppressor of TD formation. Loss of tnsl-1 results in the accumulation of TDs in two distinct size classes (~25 kb and ~300 kb), arising from different developmental contexts: small TDs emerge in rapidly dividing embryonic cells, whereas large TDs form in slower-dividing germline progenitors. Both classes depend on polymerase theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ), implicating DNA double-strand breaks in their genesis. Inhibition of break-induced replication (BIR) via Pif1 helicase loss reduces TD size, revealing a role for BIR in TD expansion. Remarkably, TONSL-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana exhibit an identical TD signature, highlighting the evolutionary conservation of this genome surveillance mechanism. These findings position TONSL as a cross-kingdom guardian of genome integrity through suppression of TD formation. Tandem duplications are a common class of structural variation in evolving genomes but are rare in healthy cells, and the DNA repair mechanisms that suppress their formation remain poorly defined. Here, the authors identify TONSL as a conserved factor that suppresses tandem duplications across species.