Nature Communications

Researchers at National Taiwan University engineer an ENDOG anchoring on mitochondrial surface, namely MOM-ENDOG, which expression efficiently degrades the viral RNA transcripts synthesized at mitochondrial sites without causing nuclear DNA damages. Delivery of modified mRNA encoding wild-type but not catalytic-dead MOM-ENDOG markedly suppresses the propagation of VSV, Influenza, Dengue, and Zika virus.

Using direct electrical recordings from individual lysosomes, researchers discovered that sugar chains attached to the lysosomal ion channel TPC2 act as a molecular brake. Because TPC2 dysfunction has been linked to viral infections, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, the findings may provide a new framework for understanding disease mechanisms and developing more targeted ways to regulate lysosomal signaling.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo experimentally demonstrate unique optical behavior from a long-sought aperiodic pattern

Researchers find that fluctuations in nanopore structure are the key factor influencing their performance

Researchers at Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University used advanced methyl NMR spectroscopy to reveal how dozens of cancer-associated mutations disrupt the long-range communication network that enables the tumor suppressor BAP1 to function, creating the largest experimental molecular map of BAP1 mutations to date. The findings uncover a previously hidden mechanism underlying cancer-associated BAP1 dysfunction and provide a foundation for developing future therapies that target protein dynamics and allosteric regulation rather than the active site alone.

Researchers reveal how electronic patterns emerge and can be controlled in the graphene-like quantum material CeTe₃.

The battle against environmental degradation is complex. Green technologies can be both part of the solution and part of the problem, a recent study has revealed. Researchers from Tohoku University and the National Institute for Environmental Studies have utilized remote sensing and machine learning to reveal the impacts mining for minerals in green technologies has on biodiversity.

Researchers find dormant pigment cells in vitiligo patches, suggesting a new treatment strategy

A research team led by Professor Sai Kishore Ravi from SEE at CityUHK has successfully demonstrated how mechanical vibrations can be harnessed to drive the production of useful chemicals from water.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo reveal how crystal symmetry determines whether hydrogen follows the rules of quantum or classical physics

Researchers at National Taiwan University and the University of Southern Denmark show that obesity in male mice raises let-7 microRNAs in sperm, which silence the enzyme DICER1 and impair mitochondrial function in the fat tissue of their offspring. Weight loss reverses part of the effect in both mice and men.

Researchers at the University of Osaka have synergistically combined three strategies for energy dissipation to enhance the toughness of elastomers. Rotaxane molecules with sacrificial bonds are incorporated into an elastomer. Under increasing external force, three mechanisms become sequentially activated: sliding of the rotaxane molecules, force-induced bond scission in the rings to form linear chains, and entanglement of the resulting chains. A polyurethane elastomer synthesized using this strategy was five times tougher than a conventional polyurethane.

New experimental evidence demonstrates that discrete space-time crystals can be realized in classical soft-matter systems, thereby moving beyond the traditional complexities of quantum mechanics.

Using the color of light to strengthen or weaken an artificial synapse's memory

Their study reveals that ageing muscles lose protective signals that help suppress tumour development, but exercise can restore this vital function.

An international research collaboration, including OMU, IJS, NIST and AUT, has unveiled a robust metallic state in the molecular material ytterbium cesium fulleride (Yb₂CsC₆₀) that directly tests conventional theories of electron behavior. Normally, strong interactions between electrons are expected to suppress their movement and turn materials into insulators through a process called a Mott transition. However, Yb₂CsC₆₀ represents a case where metallicity survived, suggesting that the material’s electrons were continuing to move collectively, stabilized by a different mechanism. The discovery is of relevance to future research in fields such as superconductivity, quantum matter, and next-generation electronic technologies.

By engineering a bismuth thin film / twisted bilayer MoS2 heterostructure, the research work achieved precise bidirectional electron confinement without any applied voltage. Moiré potential controls horizontal electron localization; Bi film thickness tunes vertical effective mass - switching electron configurations between a trimer and a Kagome-like arrangement. The voltage-free confinement mechanism offers a material foundation for charge qubits and ultra-low-power semiconductors.

An international research team led by National Taiwan University has developed a new analytical framework based on Empirical Dynamic Modeling. This framework can quantify how response diversity varies over time using time-series data. Published in Nature Communications, the study offers the first direct empirical evidence that greater response diversity helps stabilize total community biomass. This breakthrough addresses a longstanding methodological challenge in ecology: measuring the response diversity of natural communities solely from observational data.

Many secrets lie deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Researchers from Tohoku University uncovered one of them when they discovered a hidden natural lubricant inside an active fault. Their findings may explain why the Atotsugawa Fault System produces surprisingly few large earthquakes despite being located in a tectonically active region.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have discovered a new class of antibodies, called iTabs, that naturally suppress specific immune responses by blocking immune cell activation. These antibodies can reduce autoimmune disease severity in mice, suggesting a new way to treat conditions like multiple sclerosis without weakening the immune system overall.

A once-theoretical structure is now shaping the future of computing. Researchers have uncovered key properties of magnetic skyrmions, ultra-stable, 2 nm vortex-like structures that could enable next-gen memory with extremely low power consumption. Even more surprising? They can form in materials once thought impossible.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have shown that the MIC11 gene of Toxoplasma gondii is essential for the parasite to egress, or exit, the host cell, a key part of the lifecycle. Deletion of MIC11 caused parasites to be unable to permeabilize host cell membranes and prevented egress. This study identifies potential new therapeutic targets for human diseases caused by parasites, such as toxoplasmosis and malaria, which represent a major global health problem.

New framework shows how body size, lifespan and mobility can help predict winners and losers in nature

Researchers have mapped how genetic switches are regulated in East Asian populations, identifying tens of thousands of unique markers linked to complex diseases. This massive dataset bridges a crucial diversity gap in genetics, paving the way for more inclusive translation of genetic discovery worldwide.

Scientists at CityUHK achieved a breakthrough in recent months with the discovery a novel compound, named MF-8. The compound and its associated pharmaceuticals demonstrate significant potential to provide safer, more effective treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as memory impairment, depression and anxiety, while effectively mitigating the side effects associated with existing medications.

- DGIST Professor Kim Jinsoo’s team has developed dry-electrode technology for batteries using paraffin material - Achieving a primer-free, solvent-free process… Stable charge-discharge performance for over 1,000 cycles - 95% reduction in costs compared to conventional fluorine-based binders, with a global warming potential of 0.05%

A single-celled predator maintains stolen chloroplasts with its own proteins, linking the host cell and stolen organelles at the molecular level. This process, now supported by biochemical evidence, may offer clues to early steps in the evolution of plant cells.

C-terminal variations, arising from mutations and regulatory processes, can either stabilize or destabilize proteins, challenging the traditional view that aberrant termini primarily trigger degradation.

Researchers at the Cancer Research Institute and the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have uncovered a critical mechanism that enables gastric cancer to spread to distant organs. Their study shows that cancer cells stimulate Wnt signaling in surrounding stromal fibroblasts to produce hyaluronan, creating a supportive microenvironment that promotes metastasis. These findings provide new insight into how metastatic tumors establish themselves and suggest promising strategies to prevent gastric cancer progression.