A newly discovered mechanism renders antibiotic-resistant bacteria vulnerable by disabling both their individual resistance and a process known as cross-protection, the ability of resistant bacteria to shield nearby, otherwise sensitive strains. By targeting this shared defense, researchers aim to restore the effectiveness of antibiotics, enabling them to eliminate not only resistant bacteria but also the susceptible microbes they protect.

What culinary practices prevailed in the South Caucasus during the Bronze Age? The cuisine was remarkably diverse. This is what an international research team from the Universities of Bonn and Bari, along with other scientific institutions such as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences report. The new evidence highlights a multi-ingredient cuisine alongside the central role of dairy products, fruit, and grape-based beverages in Kura-Araxes communities. The findings have now been published in the journal PNAS. 

Researchers at Umeå University have identified two human cell proteins, NUP98 and NUP153, that play a crucial role in how viruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus, and dengue virus replicate in the body. The findings challenge existing views of how these viruses exploit human cells and point to new, promising targets for future antiviral drugs.

Stress fiber–generated traction forces critically regulate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) behavior, yet how mechanical cues are integrated across transcriptional programs remains unclear. Here, we attenuated actomyosin contractility in human MSCs and performed parallel Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), YAP-targeted Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation sequencing (CUT&Tag) and RNA-seq profiling. We show that reduced stress fiber traction force selectively reorganizes chromatin accessibility into coherent functional modules, resulting in diverse transcriptional programs. The mechanosensitive co-activator YAP functions as a parallel force-responsive regulatory layer coordinating with chromatin accessibility changes. Integration of chromatin accessibility, YAP occupancy, and transcriptomic profiles reveals pathway-specific regulatory responses, identifying focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt signaling as central mechanosensitive pathways coordinated across layers. Together, these findings establish a modular framework for force-dependent gene regulation, demonstrating how mechanical signals are integrated across epigenomic and transcriptional networks to shape MSC transcriptional programs.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a polygenetic disorder that increases the risk of hip osteoarthritis. A new multiethnic study finds that variations in three genes related to collagen and bone formation are linked to DDH. Other downstream genes are also linked to hip osteoarthritis. These findings point to possible mechanisms behind DDH and potential targets for new therapies against hip osteoarthritis.

SlMYB32 was identified as a repressor regulating phenylpropanoid pathway. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of SlMYB32 results in flavonol-rich tomatoes with 1 mg g^-1 FW rutin.

The Curiosity Mars rover detected many organic compounds, including ones not seen before on the red planet, such as nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing molecules similar to the building blocks of life on Earth.

Salk scientist Terrence Sejnowski will receive the inaugural World Digital Technology Academy Scientific Breakthrough Award alongside Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Hinton for their foundational development of the Boltzmann machine—a precursor to modern AI tools. The WDFT Awards were launched in 2025 at the United Nations World Summit for Social Development in Doha to celebrate “groundbreaking contributions across science, engineering, societal impact, and global collaboration in the era of digital technologies.”