Norway spruce spatiotemporal programs of conifer reproductive development.

September 14, 2026| Source: Cell

Conifers are essential components of forest ecosystems; however, their reproductive development remains largely understudied due to their genomes' complexity. Here, we present a time-resolved spatial transcriptomics (ST) atlas of 88 tissue sections across three time points from developing reproductive and vegetative shoots in wild-type Norway spruce (Picea abies), as well as transition shoots from the acrocona mutant. By studying their different spatiotemporal gene expression dynamics, we identified molecular processes active during the vegetative-to-reproductive shift and their specific spatial domains in the shoots. We also identified and experimentally characterized the MADS-box gene DAL55, which is active during lateral organ development. Moreover, we shed light on the evolutionary relationships between gymnosperm and angiosperm YABBY genes, responsible for inner or outer cell layers in complex structures. Overall, our spatiotemporal atlas identifies genes, pathways, and evolutionary relationships associated with plant reproductive organs, providing a valuable resource for studying conifer reproductive development.

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An innervated and vascularized HNSCC-on-a-chip model built on defined and tunable engineered extracellular matrices.

Understanding the tumor microenvironment requires experimental platforms that faithfully recapitulate its key components. Here, we present an innervated and vascularized head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)-on-a-chip platform built with fully defined and tunable engineered extracellular matrices (eECMs). In a stepwise increase of complexity, we first cocultured patient-derived HNSCC cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells within tailored eECMs, revealing extracellula

Health & MedicineNovember 3, 2026

Septin binding restricts Shigella growth and triggers intracellular tolerance.

Pathogen survival relies on their ability to adapt to changing environments, yet how intracellular bacteria tolerate cell-autonomous immunity remains unclear. Septins assemble into cage-like structures around cytoplasmic Shigella targeted by autophagy, but their antibacterial activity was unknown. Using advanced microscopy and cell-free reconstitution, we show that septins polymerize into circumferentially oriented filaments that inhibit bacterial growth. RNA-sequencing reveals that septin bindi

Health & MedicineNovember 3, 2026

DCAF6 reprograms TGF-β responses through TRIM33 destruction.

TGF-β signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating numerous cellular processes, primarily through the Smad-dependent pathway. Disruptions of the pathway are associated with developmental disorders and life-threatening diseases, such as cancer. It has been reported that TRIM33 inactivates Smad4 signaling and also drives its own signaling responses. However, the mechanism controlling TRIM33 activity has remained unclear. In this study, we identify DCAF6 as a previously unrecognized ubiquitin

Health & MedicineOctober 31, 2026

Reframing the manosphere: a public health response to a commercial ecosystem.

The manosphere, a diffuse commercial ecosystem and loose collection of online communities united by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny, and male victimisation, is an under-recognised determinant of health harms. This network has been implicated in considerable health harms: widespread mental health impacts, especially in young people; violence against women, girls, and gender minorities; and delegitimising help-seeking in boys and men. In this Viewpoint, we argue that the manosphere is b