Communications Biology最新文献

{"title":"Hippocampal criticality tracks cognitive demand and shifts with memory impairment.","authors":"Forough Habibollahi, Dechuan Sun, Anthony N Burkitt, Chris French","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10132-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10132-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dynamical systems exhibit transitions between ordered and disordered states, and a \"critical state\" occurs when the system lies at the borderline between these phases, where input is neither strongly damped nor excessively amplified. Systems maintaining critical dynamics are considered adaptive, and it is widely believed that brains operate at near-critical states where memory encoding and information processing are optimized. Impairments in brain function, such as dementia or epilepsy, may arise from failure of adaptive criticality, making deviation from criticality a potential biomarker for cognition-related neurological and psychiatric impairments. Wide-field calcium imaging using miniscopes is performed to record activity of hundreds of hippocampal CA1 neurons in freely behaving mice during rest, a novel object recognition (NOR) task, and NOR following scopolamine administration that severely impairs spatial memory. We find that while hippocampal networks exhibit some features of a near-critical system at rest, network activity shifts significantly closer to a critical state during NOR, and away from criticality when memory performance is impaired by the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine. These results support that hippocampal networks move toward criticality with increasing cognitive load, leveraging maximal dynamical range, information content, and transmission of critical regimes, while pathophysiological impairment alters criticality metrics reflecting network-level effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Large scale wheat data integration improves genomic prediction accuracy with the potential to facilitate international breeding collaborations.","authors":"Abdulqader Jighly, Reem Joukhadar, Gabriel Keeble-Gagnere, Irene van den Berg, David Chisanga, Deepmala Sehgal, Susanne Dreisigacker, Matthew Hayden, Hans Daetwyler, Jennie Pryce, Sukhwinder Singh, Richard Trethowan, Mike Goddard","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10150-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10150-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective data integration across diverse sources is essential for maximising genetic gain and accurately predicting plant performance in modern agriculture. However, individual breeding programs often face significant logistical and financial barriers when attempting to test large, diverse populations across a wide range of global environments. Here we show that synchronising genomic data from two prominent wheat breeding programs with a total of 11,609 wheat accessions that were evaluated across 79 environments establishes a robust platform that significantly improves genetic prediction accuracy and the power to identify complex trait associations. By developing a computationally efficient statistical model, we demonstrate that combining these massive datasets increases prediction accuracy by up to 13% while drastically reducing the time and computational resources required for analysis. This collaborative approach leverages existing investments and taps into broader genetic diversity to overcome the geographical and resource limitations of isolated programs. Our findings highlight the transformative power of collective data integration and provide a practical framework to revolutionise current breeding strategies. Ultimately, our framework has the potential to facilitate international cooperation and streamline the development of climate-resilient varieties, thereby facilitating more sustainable agricultural practices and strengthening global food security.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary decoupling between cranial shape and size underlies divergent evolutionary pathways in Cretaceous apex and meso-predator theropods.","authors":"Enzo Emanuel Seculi Pereyra","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10145-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10145-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Apex and meso-predators of the Cretaceous exhibited distinct macroevolutionary trajectories, reflecting differential responses to ecological and environmental pressures. However, the role of evolutionary process in shaping macroevolutionary trends of apex and meso-predatory Cretaceous theropods remains poorly understood. Here, I use the maxillary shape and size, combined with phylogenetic comparative methods, to elucidate distinct macroevolutionary trends among three lineages of larger (apex-pedators) and medium-size (meso-predators) Cretaceous theropods (Carcharodontosauria, Abelisauridae, and Coelurosauria). Abelisaurids primarily explored morphological innovation in skull shape while maintaining relatively stable body sizes through time. Carcharodontosaurids, in contrast, followed a size-driven evolutionary path, achieving gigantism while retaining conservative cranial morphologies. Coelurosaurs, particularly tyrannosauroids, adopted a mixed strategy, displaying early cranial modifications during the Jurassic, followed by an explosive increase in cranial size in the Late Cretaceous. These divergent strategies reveal an evolutionary decoupling between cranial shape and size, characterized by an initial phase of disruptive selection promoting morphological divergence, followed by stabilizing selection and phenotypic canalization that ultimately shaped specialized adaptive responses in each clade. These results highlight how evolutionary history, ecological interactions, and developmental constraints structured the diversification of apex and meso-predator theropods.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"L-serine at the crossroads of microbiota, intestinal health, and disorders.","authors":"Amandine Devaux, Delphine Boucher, Romain Villéger, Mathilde Bonnet","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10133-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10133-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>L-serine is an amino acid involved in maintaining intestinal mucosal homeostasis through its role in protein synthesis but also in redox balance, immune function and lipid metabolism. It also contributes to mucus production, the epithelial barrier integrity and gut microbiota composition. Prokaryotic cells, including Escherichia coli, have developed mechanisms to exploit L-serine to support their growth, virulence, inflammatory and/or carcinogenic properties. In this review, we summarize current findings on L-serine metabolism in the intestinal mucosal homeostasis, its interactions with microbiota, and its modulation in digestive diseases. Finally, we highlight directions for future research to target L-serine as a promising therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of transthalamic pathways in perception.","authors":"Kevin P Koster, Christina Mo","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10042-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-026-10042-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cognition is supported by neuronal signaling between regions of the cerebral cortex, most of which are linked by a strong synapse in the thalamus, forming transthalamic pathways. These pathways have gained attention for their powerful influence on perception, distinct from direct corticocortical pathways, prompting a reassessment of current cortical processing models. Recent advances in recording and manipulation technologies have allowed components of these pathways to be probed during behavior, but not the entire pathway. Here we synthesize findings on transthalamic contributions to perceptual behavior and outline the methodological constraints that shape interpretations. We argue that, despite these limitations, a converging conceptual update is taking form: transthalamic pathways operate as dynamic integrators that convey contextual, internal-state, and task-relevant information across distributed cortical areas. More complete understanding of these circuits will refine broader theories of brain computation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13125546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resolving the mechanical paradox of myelination.","authors":"Marco Fritzsche","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10114-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-026-10114-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13125598/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plasticity, signaling, and metabolic rewiring in melanoma persister cells.","authors":"Shayne Sensenbach, Han G Ngo, Mehmet A Orman","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10143-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-026-10143-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite advances in therapy, survival rates for metastatic melanoma remain low. Drug-tolerant persister cells (persisters) can facilitate cancer recurrence, yet their characteristics and vulnerabilities differ across cancers and even within melanoma, depending on mutational context and treatment strategy. Both preexisting phenotypic traits and drug-induced adaptations contribute to persister formation, linked by \"primed\" persisters that exhibit intermediate states observed in multiple studies. Compared with parental melanoma cells and other phenotypic variants such as melanoma stem cells or senescent cells, persisters show altered and reversible differentiation programs, distinct metabolic adaptations, and rewired signaling networks, all affected by the tumor microenvironment, but remain poorly understood. This review focuses on melanoma persisters, highlighting advances in understanding their origins, signaling plasticity, metabolic rewiring, and therapeutic vulnerabilities. By identifying gaps, this review further provides much-needed recommendations for future research and outlines priorities for advancing persister-directed interventions toward clinical translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13125246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neutrophils exhibit distinct migration phenotypes that are modulated by transendothelial migration.","authors":"Amy B Schwartz, Adithan Kandasamy, Yunpeng Tu, Alex de Lecea, Vishal Nigam, Juan C Del Álamo, Yi-Ting Yeh","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10122-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s42003-026-10122-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The extravasation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) is a critical component of the innate immune response that involves transendothelial migration (TEM) and interstitial migration. TEM-mediated interactions between PMNs and vascular endothelial cells (VECs) trigger a cascade of biochemical and mechanobiological signals whose effects on interstitial migration are currently unclear. To address this question, we cultured human VECs on a fibronectin-treated transwell insert to model the endothelium and basement membrane, loaded differentiated HL60 (dHL-60) neutrophils in the upper chamber of the insert, and collected neutrophils that crossed the membrane-supported monolayer from the lower chamber. The 3D chemotactic migration of the TEM-conditioned dHL-60 neutrophils through collagen matrices was then quantified. Data collected from over 60,000 trajectories showed two distinct migratory phenotypes, i.e., a high-persistence phenotype and a low-persistence phenotype. These phenotypes were conserved across treatment conditions, and their existence was confirmed in human primary PMNs. The high-persistence phenotype was characterized by more straight trajectories and faster migration speeds, whereas the low-persistence one exhibited more frequent sharp turns and loitering periods. A key finding of our study is that TEM increased low-persistence migration prevalence. Changes in the relative proportion of high-persistence and low-persistence populations correlated with G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) expression levels. Inhibiting GRK2 hindered the TEM-induced shift in migratory phenotype and impaired the phagocytic function of dHL-60 neutrophils. Consistent with this finding, primary human PMNs displayed comparable TEM-driven GRK2 upregulation and shifts in migratory behavior better suited for spatial exploration, demonstrating that this regulatory axis operates in native neutrophils. These observations provide novel insight into the biophysical impacts of TEM, suggesting that priming PMNs is essential to conduct sentinel functions.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Graphene quantum dot-coated mesoporous silica loaded with glucosamine sulfate as a potent antigen delivery system for immunoactivation.","authors":"Qiran Wang, Shuyao Yang, Yao Wang, Hangyu Li, Yuanzuo Li, Xihui Du, Qian Yang, Fengyuan Wang, Haibo Feng","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10113-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10113-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) belong to the carbon quantum dot family, with low toxicity, high biocompatibility, and excellent colloidal stability. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are recognized as effective drug delivery systems due to their high drug-loading capacity, while glucosamine sulfate (GS) exhibits immunemodulatory properties. In this study, to maximize the immune effect of GS, a graphene quantum dot-coated mesoporous silica loaded with glucosamine sulfate (MSN-G-Q) is synthesized, and its immunoactivation effects are evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, MSN-G-Q enhances macrophage uptake activity, stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production, and upregulates CD80⁺ and CD86⁺ expression. In vivo, MSN-G-Q/OVA increases immune organ index, facilitates dendritic cell (DC) maturation, promotes T lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation, elevates antigen-specific IgG antibodies and cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-1β, and prolongs ovalbumin (OVA) residence in immune organs and lymph nodes. The results show that MSN-G-Q/OVA is a promising immunostimulatory antigen delivery system.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hepatic GGPP triggers visceral adipose hypertrophy via binding with adipocyte ACSL1 in metabolic unhealthy obesity.","authors":"Hong-Yu Nie, Ming-Jie Zou, Meng-Fei Zhao, Yi-Ping Tang, Nan-Nan Wang, Zi-Yue Zhou, Jing-Zi Zhang, Chao-Jun Li, Lei Fang","doi":"10.1038/s42003-026-10116-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10116-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity can be classified into metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We identify geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), a metabolite of the hepatic mevalonate pathway involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, as a critical mediator that distinguishes MUO from MHO. In this study, Long-term feeding of mice with starch oleate significantly upregulated the expression of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (Ggpps), resulting in elevated GGPP levels. Liver-specific deletion of Ggpps reduced GGPP and selectively attenuated adipocyte hypotrophy while specifically enhancing insulin sensitivity in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT). Mechanistic studies suggest that GGPP modulates acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1) in eWAT through non-covalent binding rather than protein geranylgeranylation, thereby inhibiting its translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria. The retention of ACSL1 in the ER induces eWAT-specific adipose remodeling by promoting triglyceride (TG) synthesis and suppressing lipid oxidation. These findings establish a \"liver-adipose\" axis mediated by the hepatic metabolite GGPP via its non-covalent interaction with adipocyte ACSL1, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for metabolic dysfunction associated with metabolically unhealthy obesity.</p>","PeriodicalId":10552,"journal":{"name":"Communications Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147764810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}