Japan

Light may be the key to creating bendable displays and wearable sensors

Only four enzymes including D-apionate oxidoisomerase (ApnO) are known to catalyze distinct, sequential chemical reactions at a single active site. Biochemical and crystallographic analysis revealed the catalytic mechanism of ApnO containing zinc and manganese ions as metal cofactors, and unique tetrahedral coordination geometry of the later. This study provides new insight into the molecular evolution of rare enzymes that defy the general paradigm wherein a single enzyme's activity is classified under a single reaction mode.

Researchers from the University of Osaka have developed a rhodium-catalyzed reaction that uses a single carbon atom to join two flat molecules into a rigid 3D spirocyclic structure. The reaction cleaves carbon–carbon single bonds and forms four new carbon–carbon bonds around one central carbon. It can join identical or different molecules, and it is expected to aid the design of new functional molecules for applications such as electronic materials.

Understanding where molecular malfunctions happen in colorectal cancer offers new avenues for treatment.

Over decades of sustained, integrated national viral hepatitis control, Japan has seen substantial reductions in HBV- and HCV-related disease burden and hepatocellular carcinoma mortality.

Public-safety infrastructure combining streetlight-based FMPS and AI output governance.

Researchers led by the University of Osaka have directly observed a heavy-fermion state forming at the interface between a one-atom-thick ytterbium–copper layer and a copper substrate. Using synchrotron-based measurements, they showed that electrons across the interface interact to create this unusual quantum state. The finding offers a new approach to designing low-dimensional quantum materials and may help enable previously unexplored phenomena, including unconventional superconductivity.

Researchers at the University of Osaka developed new mouse models of hypophosphatasia that reproduce dental symptoms seen in patients. The models showed that teeth, surrounding bone, and tooth-supporting tissues can be affected even when skeletal symptoms elsewhere are mild. Differences between the models suggest that specific genetic changes influence dental symptoms, providing a new platform for studying disease mechanisms and developing dental treatments tailored to severity.

Researchers led by the University of Osaka analyzed lymphatic malformations from 34 patients and found shared molecular features regardless of whether PIK3CA mutations were detected. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was activated in malformed lymphatic vessels, while spatial transcriptomics highlighted NFATC1, associated with the calcineurin-NFAT pathway, as a possible contributor to the disease pathogenesis. The findings deepen the understanding of lymphatic malformations and may help refine existing treatments and identify new therapeutic targets.

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a method for distinguishing the L- and D-forms of amino acids based on current waveforms generated by single molecules passing through a nanogap. The L/D ratio of amino acids is a potential biosignature of life. Major features of the amino acid composition were captured for astrobiologically relevant samples. The method could be used to develop electrical instruments for extraterrestrial life detection.

A new computational method aligns spatial transcriptomics data while retaining cell-level measurements.

Researchers from the University of Osaka and collaborating institutions accelerated protons to nearly half the speed of light using a long-pulse laser and ultrathin graphene. A moving electric field carried the protons to high energies, and artificial intelligence helped detect rare high-energy particles among millions of detector images. This technique could pave the way for future AI-driven autonomous laser experiment systems.

A study from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo used special instruments to investigate how crystals smaller than a strand of hair change and move as they draw in chloroform vapor

Researchers at the University of Osaka found that simultaneous stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex and insular cortex may produce richer artificial bodily sensations than stimulating either region alone. In three patients, dual-site stimulation evoked sensations including gentle touch and combined numbness and warmth. These preliminary findings suggest that multisite stimulation may influence how sensory qualities are integrated, with potential applications in sensory neuroprosthetics and functional brain mapping in humans.

Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a simple two-step culture system that turns human blood-derived B cells into germinal center-like B cells using CD40L, IL-4, and IL-21 in a specific sequence. The resulting cells closely resemble genuine human germinal center B cells and undergo somatic hypermutation. The platform provides a practical tool for studying antibody formation directly in human cells and may support future vaccine and autoimmune disease research.

Value of admitting researchers’ humanness and vulnerability in research

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University have directly visualized how enzymes find and break DNA molecules in real time. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy, the team followed individual enzymes as they moved along DNA and found that they repeatedly returned to vulnerable regions before breaking them apart. The findings reveal how the structure of DNA influences its vulnerability to enzymatic breakdown. The research was led by Richard Wong and his team was Jingge Yang, Yujia Qiu, Keesiang Lim and Toshio Ando.

A study of older adults in Japan found that routine health checkup measures were associated with healthcare costs 3–4 years later, revealing nonlinear and sex-specific patterns.

New Horizons in Sensitivity Assessment: Integrating Genetic Sequence Comparison, Machine Learning, In Silico, and In Vitro Analyses of Mammalian Estrogen Receptors

New laser-powered technology rapidly gathers microscopic targets for faster, more sensitive and selective detection

Participants with mild disabilities had approximately US$1,177 lower annual care cost

Climate models contain biases that can affect the reliability of future climate projections. We investigated how sea surface temperature (SST) biases affect the North Pacific westerly jet. In 34 of 35 climate models, the jet was located farther south when SSTs were simulated rather than prescribed from observations. Additional experiments showed that SST biases, particularly in the northwestern Pacific, play an important role in this southward shift.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, Kyoto University, SOKENDAI, and the National Institute for Physiological Sciences have revealed how a key brain protein involved in learning and memory organizes itself into chain-like structures. Their study was published in Science Advances.

A research team led by the University of Osaka created porous crystals that grow into spring-like helices. The crystals expand and contract as solvent molecules leave and re-enter their pores. The work shows that crystallization conditions can tune the overall shape of a porous crystal without fundamentally changing its internal porous structure, opening possibilities for microscale materials that respond to chemicals.

A team led by researchers from the University of Osaka has revealed the first structure of an umami taste receptor. They found that the pufferfish receptor can sense many more amino acids than the human receptor, including some linked to flavors humans detect as sweet. This helps the fish to detect more types of savory chemicals in their food. The research also shows how the receptor’s structure makes this flexibility possible. The findings could help develop new umami flavors.

How are extra-long genes read? A novel mechanism in which RNA-scaffolded nuclear condensates gather diverse factors to coordinate gene expression

For decades, scientists have understood proteins primarily through two defining features: their amino acid sequence and their three-dimensional structure. This framework has driven major advances in biology, biotechnology, and medicine, culminating in recent artificial intelligence tools capable of predicting protein structures with remarkable accuracy. Yet a fundamental challenge remains: even when a protein's sequence and structure are known, predicting its function, interactions, and behavior often remains difficult. An international team of researchers from Japan, Finland, Italy, and the United States now reports evidence that part of this missing information may lie in an often-overlooked component of proteins: the highly organized water surrounding them. In a study accepted for publication in Nature Communications, the team provides the first direct three-dimensional visualization of sequence-dependent hydration architectures surrounding peptide assemblies at sub-nanometer resolution using advanced three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) (Fig.1).

A team led by the University of Osaka researchers discovered that cells producing IgG1 antibodies multiply more, are less prone to cell death in the spleen, and migrate more efficiently to the bone marrow, where long-lived antibody-producing cells can become established. Understanding how these cells gain these advantages could help researchers design vaccines that provide longer-lasting protection against infection.

Researchers at the University of Osaka discovered FoeAB, a previously unknown bacterial pump that exports the antibiotic fosfomycin. By combining transport experiments with cryo-electron microscopy, the team revealed how the protein recognizes and moves the drug across the cell membrane. The findings expand understanding of antibiotic efflux in Gram-positive bacteria and could support new strategies to counter drug resistance and improve treatment of bacterial infections.

Researchers at the University of Osaka discovered a simple, rigid aromatic hydrocarbon that breaks the usual rule. Under pressure, its crystals grow 1.7 times brighter and shift color from light blue to yellow, with a record-high sensitivity of 37.4 nm/GPa, nearly double the previous best. An elongated, uniformly slender molecular shape was the key, offering a new design principle for pressure-responsive materials without complex flexible frameworks.