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Journal articleLiu M, Prentice IC, Harrison SP, 2026,
A global analysis of pollen-based reconstructions of land climate changes during Dansgaard–Oeschger events
, Climate of the Past, ISSN: 1814-9324Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) warming events are comparable in magnitude and rate to the anticipated 21st century warming. As such, they provide a good target for evaluation of the ability of state-of-the-art climate models to simulate rapid climate changes. Despite the wealth of qualitative information about climate changes during the D-O events, there has been no attempt to date to make quantitative reconstructions globally. Here we use frequency-corrected Tolerance-weighted Weighted Averaging Partial Least Squares regression (fxTWA-PLS) to reconstruct mean temperature of the coldest month, mean temperature of the warmest month, and a plant-available moisture index across multiple D-O events between 50 and 30 ka based on available pollen records across the globe. The reconstruction of plant-available moisture is corrected for the impact of changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations on plant water use efficiency. These reconstructions show that the largest warming occurred in northern extratropics, especially Eurasia, while western North America and the southern extratropics were characterised by cooling. The change in winter temperature was significantly larger than the change in summer temperature in the northern extratropics and the tropics, indicating that the D-O warming events were characterised by reduced seasonality, but there was no significant difference between the summer and winter temperature changes in the southern extratropics. The antiphasing between northern and southern extratropical changes, and the west-east pattern of cooling and warming in North America were generally consistent across the eight D-O events examined, although coherency is greatest during the strongest events. There was no globally consistent pattern between changes in moisture and changes in temperature. These reconstructions can be used to evaluate the spatial patterns of changes in temperature and moisture in the transient simulations of the D-O events planned as part
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Journal articleJordan M, Steyaert M, Ng NYN, et al., 2026,
Autonomous reef monitoring structures as a tool for assessing UK marine benthic biodiversity
, Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2296-7745In benthic marine ecosystems, small organisms that dwell within the habitat matrix comprise the majority of species richness but are inherently difficult to sample. This limits our ability to document the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS), artificial reefs that mimic the three-dimensional complexity of benthic habitats, can alleviate this challenge. However, ARMS have been applied infrequently in many temperate locations, including the United Kingdom (UK). To showcase the applicability of ARMS to the UK, this paper applies standardized Smithsonian ARMS protocols for image analysis as well as DNA barcoding and metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to 3 ARMS units deployed in the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) Nearshore Trawling Exclusion zone, a conservation area created in 2021 to facilitate the recovery of seabed habitats. We document 176 genera across 22 eukaryotic phyla as well as 1,920 > 2 mm motile specimens with a biomass of 312 g. We identify 15 notable species, including the 4th UK record of Cephalothrix simula, a non-native poisonous nemertean with the potential to enter the food supply. We also assess the complementarity of image analysis and DNA metabarcoding in describing sessile communities, finding that the two methods produce meaningfully different estimates of relative abundance for some phyla, particularly Cnidaria (77x difference) and Bryozoa (72x difference). As our oceans come increasingly under threat from global change, it is imperative that we can accurately describe their biodiversity. We advocate for ARMS as a critical tool for measuring UK marine benthic biodiversity and discuss the use of ARMS in closing gaps in reference databases as well as in assessing ecosystem function and environmental disturbance in benthic habitats.
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Journal articleSaunders PM, Oates CVL, Hare R, et al., 2026,
CD155 density on target cells drives divergent Natural Killer cell responses owing to DNAM-1 loss
, Journal of Immunology, Vol: 215, ISSN: 0022-1767Activation of natural killer (NK) cells by transformed targets requires the engagement of activating receptors and commonly a concomitant loss of inhibitory signaling. While the coactivating receptor DNAM-1 is involved in NK cell recognition of tumors expressing the nectin-like molecule CD155, in many cancer types, high expression of CD155 is associated with a poor clinical prognosis. To assess the impact of ligand density on NK cell function, recognition of target cells expressing low and high levels of CD155 was compared. While low levels of CD155 on target cells augmented NK cell activation, most evident in elevated IFN-γ responses, high levels of CD155 drove rapid, activation-induced downregulation of DNAM-1 that did not result in enhanced IFN-γ responses. High levels of CD155 also drove TIGIT loss from the NK cell surface; however, gene editing of TIGIT from primary NK cells had no significant impact on target cell recognition. Although low levels of CD155 induced a degree of DNAM-1 loss, the improved activation was still mediated through DNAM-1, as assessed through selective disruption of the interaction. Similarly, NK cell recognition of targets expressing the nectin CD112, which also engages both DNAM-1 and TIGIT, resulted in modest loss of DNAM-1 expression and heightened IFN-γ responses. Together, these observations suggest that DNAM-1 recognition of its ligands is delicately poised such that low avidity receptor engagement augments NK cell activation, and in particular IFN-γ responses, while stronger engagement can result in the rapid downregulation of DNAM-1 without any significant enhancement of effector responses.
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Journal articleCoxshall C, Nesbit M, Hodge J, et al., 2026,
Ecological and social pressures drive same-sex sexual behaviour in non-human primates
, Nature Ecology and Evolution, Vol: 10, Pages: 330-341, ISSN: 2397-334XSame-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) is widespread across animal species; however, its evolutionary origins and ecological underpinnings remain poorly understood. In social animals, SSB is probably shaped by both genetic and environmental factors. For instance, a recent study in rhesus macaques indicates that while SSB is partially heritable and genetically based, it is also strongly influenced by environmental and social conditions. Here we compiled species-level data on 491 non-human primate species, documenting SSB occurrence and prevalence in 59 species, and examined its associations with 15 environmental, life history and social traits using phylogenetic regression and structural equation modelling. SSB occurrence was more likely in species inhabiting drier environments with increased food scarcity and predation pressure, in species with greater size dimorphism and longer lifespans and in those with more complex social structures and hierarchies. Structural equation modelling further indicated that environmental and life history traits influence SSB mainly indirectly, whereas social complexity directly promotes its occurrence. Together, these findings highlight SSB as a context-dependent behaviour shaped by interactions among ecological, life history and social factors, offering insights into the sexual diversity and social evolution of primates.
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Journal articleWilliams JJ, Angelidou I, Cholvi M, et al., 2026,
Ethical and equitable approaches in AI for vector-borne disease management
, AI and Ethics, Vol: 6, ISSN: 2730-5961Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being incorporated into public health strategies for vector-borne disease (VBD) management, offering several advances in surveillance, prediction, and control. At the same time however, the integration of AI technologies raises critical ethical and equity concerns, particularly in regions disproportionately affected by VBDs. Here, we explore seven key ethical and equitable challenges in the use of AI for VBD management: (1) data quality and representativeness, (2) risk of discrimination and inequality reinforcement, (3) transparency and reproducibility, (4) privacy and data protection, (5) cybersecurity, (6) fair and equitable benefit-sharing, and (7) environmental considerations. Within each of these challenges, we highlight how unaddressed ethical and equity issues can exacerbate health disparities and undermine public trust. We then propose actionable pathways forward, including inclusive data governance, transparency-enhancing tools, and environmentally-conscious AI practices. By highlighting how accounting for these ethical and equity concerns during AI development and deployment can further progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we advocate for a more responsible and inclusive approach to AI in VBD management.
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Journal articleJimenez Zarco J, Cruañas Pániker C, Wain BH, 2026,
Engineering whole-cell catalysts to use plastic waste as a feedstock
, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Vol: 97, ISSN: 0958-1669The extensive production, durability, and waste mismanagement of plastic polymers have led to a highly concerning environmental problem. Recycling methods aim to reduce the amount of plastic pollution, and among them, biological processes have emerged as an interesting alternative for the management of plastic waste that is difficult to collect or can not be recycled by other methods. While there has been significant progress in the field, in particular related to the enzymatic hydrolysis of polyesters, most biological methods rely on the use of enzymes in vitro, using collected plastics. In this review, we explore the status of technologies using whole-cell catalysts that could be used for in vivo upcycling of plastic waste — with plastic becoming a microbial feedstock — and for the development of biodegradation strategies in relevant environments. We have identified a number of barriers related to polymer bioavailability, enzyme activity and secretion, and the use of strains and microbial communities that need to be overcome to materialize a much-needed solution to plastic pollution.
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Journal articleMurphy EJ, Williams JJ, Myers-Smith IH, et al., 2026,
Ecological Feedbacks in the Earth System
, Earth S Future, Vol: 14Ecological feedbacks are fundamental features of the Earth system, affecting physical processes and chemical cycles. Our understanding of the interactions underlying these feedbacks at different spatial and temporal scales and the extent to which feedbacks affect Earth system functioning remains limited. Climate change and other anthropogenic pressures are already negatively affecting ecological processes in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. These will most likely be amplified in the coming decades under our current warming and socioeconomic pathways. The knock-on impacts on ecological feedbacks have the potential to cause rapid perturbations to the Earth system, and may significantly impact the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Yet, the role of our planet's diverse ecological feedbacks in Earth system processes and the impacts of perturbations are major knowledge gaps. Here we review and synthesize current understanding of ecological feedbacks and how they affect physical and chemical processes. We then consider the implications of ecological feedbacks for analyses of anthropogenically-driven change, development of scientific understanding and models, and provision of scientific advice for policymakers. Finally, we identify three priority future research areas for the rapid assessment and integration of ecological feedbacks in Earth system science: (a) including ecological feedbacks in assessments of global change and Earth system models, (b) incorporating ecological feedbacks across scales, and (c) producing projections suitable for policy advice. Overall, this review presents an urgent call to the scientific community for the rapid development of understanding of ecological feedbacks and integrated ecosystem—Earth system research.
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Journal articleFadrique B, Costa F, Cuesta F, et al., 2026,
Tree diversity is changing across tropical Andean and Amazonian forests in response to global change.
, Nat Ecol Evol, Vol: 10, Pages: 267-280Climate and atmospheric changes are impacting forest function and structure worldwide, but their effects on tropical forest diversity are unclear. Nowhere is the scientific challenge greater than in the Andes and the Amazon, which together include the world's most diverse forests. Here, using 406 permanent plots spanning four decades of intact lowland and montane forest dynamics, we test for long-term change in species richness and assess the influence of climate and other variables. We show that, at a continental scale, species richness appears stable, but this masks substantial regional variation. Species richness increased in Northern Andean and Western Amazon plots, yet declined in the Central Andes, Guyana Shield and Central-Eastern Amazon. Overall, warmer, drier and more seasonal forests lost species, while those at higher elevations, in less fragmented areas and with faster rates of tree turnover experienced increases. Region-specific drivers, particularly precipitation seasonality and demographic factors, modulated these trends. The results highlight the diverse ways in which Amazon-Andes forests are changing and underscore the critical need to preserve large-scale ecosystem integrity to maintain local tree diversity. By doing so, Northern Andean forests in particular could serve as an important refuge for species increasingly displaced by climate change.
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Journal articleBleidorn C, Sandberg F, Martin S, et al., 2026,
The untapped potential of short-read sequencing in biodiversity research.
, Trends Genet, Vol: 42, Pages: 137-149, ISSN: 0168-9525The power of short-read DNA sequencing in biodiversity research and evolutionary genomics is rapidly growing due to advances in technology and bioinformatics. Short-read sequencing offers powerful solutions for taxonomic identification, biomass estimation, and phylogenetic reconstruction. Moreover, short-read data enable robust estimation of genome size and repeat content, offering valuable insights into genome evolution. Though growing in popularity, long-read genome assemblies are often not feasible with material from museum collections or raw biodiversity samples. With the growing demand for DNA-based approaches in biodiversity research, short-read genomics provides an easily generated universal data source spanning all levels from individual genomes to ecosystems, and including all species on Earth, to achieve the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) for the preservation of biodiversity.
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Journal articleBarbosa M, Maia RA, Menor IO, et al., 2026,
Detected Shifts Towards Drought-Adaptive Strategies in the Amazon Forest Over the Last Four Decades.
, Glob Chang Biol, Vol: 32The Amazon Forest is undergoing rapid ecological shifts driven by intensifying drought, rising temperatures, and widespread anthropogenic disturbance. Yet the reorganization of vegetation functional strategies under climate stress remains poorly quantified at the biome scale. Here, we show that the temporal stability of canopy reflectance offers a sensitive remote proxy for sclerophylly-leaf toughness, a key indicator of conservative, drought-adaptive plant strategies. By integrating ground-based trait data (specific leaf area, SLA) from over 3000 trees across 448 plots in the Amazon-Cerrado savanna transition zone with high-resolution remote sensing imagery, we demonstrate that lower SLA-a well-established proxy for conservative leaf strategies-is associated with reduced dry-season variability in the blue band spectral reflectance of vegetation. Extending the analysis across 130 plots in nine Amazonian countries using 40 years of harmonised remote sensing data, we find that dry-season reflectance variability has declined by ~34% (a drop of ~10 percentage points) since 1984, indicating a biome-wide shift toward greater drought tolerance. This trend is most pronounced in the southern and eastern Amazon and closely tracks rising climate stress, particularly increased temperature, evaporative demand, and water deficit. If these patterns persist, much of the southern and eastern Amazon could reach reflectance-stability levels comparable to transitional zones with the Cerrado savanna biome within the next three to four decades. Our results show signals of an early-stage forest functional transformation that could reduce forest productivity and carbon uptake, increase vulnerability to fire, and diminish biodiversity. These findings highlight regions where early signs of reduced forest resilience are emerging, underscoring the need for spatially targeted conservation.
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Journal articlevan Thor J, 2026,
Coherent two dimensional electronic-X-ray spectroscopy
, Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol: 164, ISSN: 0021-9606Ultrafast pump–probe time resolved x-ray spectroscopy carries information on the valence-core dynamics of molecular systems. Here, a coherent two-dimensional nonlinear electronic-x-ray spectroscopy (2DEX) application is proposed in order to reveal the frequency–frequency correlations for the valence and the core transition excitations. 2DEX is in the class of extreme-cross peak correlation spectroscopy and is experimentally straightforward to measure as an adaptation of the conventional optical pump–x-ray probe technique by creating a phase-locked pulse pair of the ultrafast laser for the valence excitation. Theoretical evaluation of the coherences and populations for several applications of ultrafast valence-core spectroscopy experiments is shown. Using a response function approach, 2DEX, four wave signals are calculated and evaluated with respect to frequency separation in the electronic and x-ray ranges as well as the line shape characteristics. It is shown that stationary and oscillatory contributions to the rephasing, non-rephasing, and absorptive signals can be resolved depending on pulse shaping and phase cycling, phase matching, x-ray spectrometer, and material response parameters. Calculations are shown for examples that include the valence-core coherences for a vibrational monomer and for Frenkel and charge transfer electronic exciton states, which in the x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectral region has the potential to resolve the population and coherence contributions in the atomic localized basis.
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Journal articleLavergne A, Harrison SP, Atsawawaranunt K, et al., 2026,
Minimal impact of recent decline in C₄ vegetation abundance on atmospheric carbon isotopic composition
, Communications Earth & Environment, Vol: 7, ISSN: 2662-4435Changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, climate, and land management influence the abundance and distribution of C3 and C4 plants, yet their impact on the global carbon cycle remains uncertain. Here, we use a parsimonious model of C3 and C4 plant distribution, based on optimality principles, combined with a simplified representation of the global carbon cycle, to assess how shifts in plant abundances driven by carbon dioxide and climate affect global gross primary production, land-based carbon isotope discrimination, and the isotopic composition of atmospheric carbon dioxide. We estimate that the proportion of C4 plants in total biomass declined from about 16% to 12% between 1982 and 2016, despite an increase in the abundance of C4 crops. This decline reflects the reduced competitive advantage of C4 photosynthesis in a carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere. As a result, global gross primary production rose by approximately 16.5 ± 1.8 petagrams of carbon, and land-based carbon isotope discrimination increased by 0.017 ± 0.001‰ per year. Accounting for changes in C3 and C4 abundances reduces the difference between observed and modelled trends in atmospheric carbon isotope composition, but does not fully explain the observed decrease, pointing to additional, unaccounted drivers.
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Journal articleBurton VJ, Jones AG, Robinson LD, et al., 2026,
Who watches the worms? Motivation and (non-)participation in a contributory citizen science project
, BMC Ecology and Evolution, Vol: 26, ISSN: 2730-7182BackgroundCitizen science projects rely on public participation to generate data and promote engagement with science. However, little is known about the motivations of individuals who register for citizen science projects but ultimately do not participate. Understanding non-participation is important for improving recruitment and engagement strategies. This study used Earthworm Watch, a UK-based soil biodiversity citizen science project that ran from April 2016 to August 2018, to explore the motivations of both participants and non-participants, and to examine how these relate to demographic factors and survey completion rates.ResultsA total of 1,678 participants registered for Earthworm Watch. The overall survey return rate was 12.75%, with no significant differences by age or gender. The provision of physical survey packs did not significantly affect completion rates. Direct contact with project staff was the only recruitment method associated with a significantly higher survey return rate. Significantly more registrants were female than male across all age groups. Motivations related to understanding and values were most reported, with participants often expressing a desire to learn more or to contribute to the topic, but these participants contributed fewer surveys than those without those motivations. Social motivations were mentioned less frequently but were more commonly reported by women. Younger participants were more likely to cite career-related motivations.ConclusionsThe limited impact of physical materials on participation suggests that designing projects for immediate and accessible involvement could be more cost-effective. The significant influence of meeting project members and hands-on experiences at events strengthens the case for including these activities in engagement plans. Motivations to participate in Earthworm Watch varied by demographic factors such as age and gender; however, when significant, they influenced only the number of surveys sub
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Journal articleDeliard S, Barbieri E, Trizzino M, et al., 2026,
An EGR1-dependent cascade modulates genome architecture at the CSF1R locus
, Nucleic Acids Research, Vol: 54, ISSN: 0305-1048The organization and dynamics of chromatin are key to regulating gene expression during myeloid cell differentiation. Sequence-specific transcription factors initiate and maintain a complex network of enhancer-promoter contacts, which is supported by insulating elements and genome folding organizers such as CTCF and Cohesin. The spatial arrangement of enhancers and promoters, as well as their epigenetic state, drives cell and tissue-specific transcriptomes. Here we dissect the spatial, transcriptional, and epigenetic landscape of the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) locus in monocytes and macrophages. CSF1R is a receptor tyrosine kinase that triggers the signaling cascade required for macrophage differentiation. Previous work showed that CSF1R expression is regulated by multiple enhancers, including the fms-intronic regulatory element (FIRE). Here, we find that a single EGR-1 binding motif dictates activation of CSF1R. We also discover that the CSF1R entire locus folds into a hub of gene regulation, affecting an extended network of myeloid and inflammatory genes. Globally, EGR1 may have an expanded role as a macrophage-specific boundary element, supporting enhancer-promoter looping at several genes. In sum, we describe a novel 3D chromatin network that is critical for macrophage development and function.
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Journal articleHassan A, Prentice IC, Liang X, 2026,
Insights into evapotranspiration partitioning based on hydrological observations using the generalized proportionality hypothesis
, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS), Vol: 30, Pages: 317-341, ISSN: 1027-5606Evapotranspiration comprises transpiration, soil evaporation, and interception. The partitioning of evapotranspiration is challenging due to the lack of direct measurements and uncertainty of existing evapotranspiration partitioning methods. We propose a novel method to estimate long-term mean transpiration to evapotranspiration (Et/E) ratios based on the generalized proportionality hypothesis using long-term mean hydrological observations at the watershed scale. We tested the method using 648 watersheds in the United States classified into six vegetation types. We mitigated impacts of the variability associated with different Ep data products by rescaling their original Ep values using the product E/Ep ratios in combination with the observed E calculated from watershed water balance. With Ep thus rescaled, our method produced consistent Et/E across six widely used Ep products. Shrubs (0.33) and grasslands (0.32) showed lower mean Et/E than croplands (0.48) and forests (respectively 0.69, 0.60, and 0.70 for evergreen needleleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and mixed forests). Et/E showed significant dependence on aridity, leaf area index, and other hydrological and environmental conditions. Using Et/E estimates, we calculated transpiration to precipitation ratios (Et/P) ratios and revealed a bell-shaped curve at the watershed scale, which conformed to the bell-shaped relationship with the aridity index (AI) observed at the field and remote-sensing scales (Good et al., 2017). This relationship peaked at an Et/P between 0.5 and 0.6, corresponding to an AI between 2 and 3 depending on the Ep dataset used. These results strengthen our understanding of the interactions between plants and water and provide a new perspective on a long-standing challenge for hydrology and ecosystem science.
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Journal articleRyan SJ, Huxley PJ, Lippi CA, et al., 2026,
MIReVTD, a minimum information standard for reporting vector trait data.
, Gigascience, Vol: 15Vector-borne diseases pose a persistent and increasing challenge to human, animal, and agricultural systems globally. Mathematical modeling frameworks incorporating vector trait responses are powerful tools for assessing risk and predicting vector-borne disease impacts. Developing these frameworks and the reliability of their predictions hinge on the availability of experimentally derived vector trait data for model parameterization and inference of the biological mechanisms underpinning transmission. Trait experiments have generated data for many known and potential vector species, but the terminology used across studies is inconsistent, and accompanying publications may share data with insufficient detail for reuse or synthesis. The lack of data standardization can lead to information loss and prohibit analytical comprehensiveness. Here, we present MIReVTD, a Minimum Information standard for Reporting Vector Trait Data. Our reporting checklist balances completeness and labor intensity to make these important experimental data easier to find and reuse, without onerous effort for scientists generating the data. To illustrate the standard, we provide an example reproducing results from an Aedes aegypti mosquito study.
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Journal articleMwima R, Hui T-YJ, Lukyamuzi E, et al., 2026,
Assessing the population genetic structure and demographic history of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis at island and mainland sites in Uganda: implications for testing novel malaria vector control approaches
, Malaria Journal, Vol: 25, ISSN: 1475-2875BackgroundDespite substantial investments in malaria control, the disease remains a major burden in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Uganda. Novel tools such as gene drive systems are being developed to suppress malaria vector populations, but their deployment requires detailed knowledge of mosquito population genetics.MethodsThe genetic structure, diversity, and demographic history of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis were assessed at six sites in Uganda: three islands in Lake Victoria and three mainland sites. A total of 2918 An, gambiae and 173 An. arabiensis were genotyped using targeted amplicon sequencing of 62 loci across coding and non-coding regions of the genome.ResultsPopulation structure analyses revealed clear separation between the two species but little differentiation within each species across sites. Pairwise FST values among An. gambiae populations were low (0.00054–0.028) but often statistically significant, with mainland populations showing higher connectivity and island populations exhibiting greater isolation. Anopheles arabiensis mainland populations showed no statistically significant differentiation, suggesting panmixia. Principal component analysis and Bayesian clustering similarly distinguished species-level structure but no obvious substructure within sites.Mainland An. gambiae populations displayed higher nucleotide diversity than island populations, while An. arabiensis showed the lowest diversity overall. Tajima’s D values were negative across sites, consistent with recent population expansions. Effective population size estimates indicated small populations at the islands (146–249) compared to large mainland populations (4054–8190).DiscussionThese findings demonstrate strong genetic differentiation between An. gambiae and An. arabiensis, and subtle but meaningful structure between island and mainland An. gambiae populations. The reduced diversity and small effective population sizes at island sites sug
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Journal articleCui Y, Peng S, Delgado-Baquerizo M, et al., 2026,
Productivity-driven decoupling of microbial carbon use efficiency and respiration across global soils.
, Sci Adv, Vol: 12Despite extensive research on soil microbial carbon (C) use efficiency (CUE), its linkage to actual soil C storage remains ambiguous. A key uncertainty is that CUE estimates from short-term labeling incubations assume a linear negative relationship with respiration rates, overlooking nonlinear interactions and long-term microbial acclimation. Here, we use a stoichiometry-based approach to estimate CUE (CUEST), which links soil resource availability to microbial demand and captures microbial adaptability under resource constraints. We synthesized 1094 paired observations of CUEST and heterotrophic respiration rate (Rh) across natural ecosystems and found a nonlinear relationship between them governed by ecosystem productivity. In low-productivity arid and cold regions, CUEST declined with increasing Rh, whereas in productive tropical and temperate regions, CUEST stabilized at a low level (0.27 ± 0.11) as Rh exceeded 340 ± 10.8 grams of C per square meter per year. This shift reflects microbial trade-offs between C assimilation and stoichiometric homeostasis, revealing a decoupling of microbial growth from respiration that limits the capacity of productive ecosystems to store additional soil C.
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Journal articleBidartondo MI, van der Linde S, Andrew C, et al., 2026,
Impacts of ectomycorrhizal forest change on nutrient cycling, forest resilience, and ecosystem services.
, ISME J, Vol: 20At a time when we count on northern hemisphere forests to mitigate global atmospheric change, European forests are showing deteriorating aboveground nutritional trends without a mechanistic, causal explanation. The increasingly recognized roles of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi in global carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling mean there is a need to understand dynamics in changing EM forests, particularly at large scales over time. Achieving this requires integrating soil microbial biology with long-term forest monitoring, and a fundamental distributional, temporal, and mechanistic understanding of key soil organisms and the plasticity of their traits across gradients. We postulate that changing abundances of ectomycorrhizas with different capabilities for delivering mineral nutrients from soil to trees, and for storing or releasing soil C, can explain what is happening with forest nutrition, and thus should be included in future models of forest nutrient cycling, above and belowground. Here, we discuss the state-of-the-art regarding data needs, focussing on environmental change, large-scale spatial and temporal dynamics, experimentation, modelling, and monitoring. Linking understanding of tree nutritional status with the potential of forests to cope with environmental change, for instance, anthropogenic C and N fertilization of the biosphere leading to P limitation, holds significant potential to inform management and policy of forests and soils for promoting resilient ecosystems.
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Journal articleLodhiya T, Palande A, Veeram A, et al., 2026,
ATP burst is the dominant driver of antibiotic lethality in Mycobacterium smegmatis.
, Elife, Vol: 13Antibiotic-tolerant bacteria, due to their unique physiology, are refractory to antimicrobial killing and pose challenges for infection control. Incomplete knowledge of how bactericidal antibiotics work limits our understanding of partial resistance due to phenotypic tolerance in mycobacteria, a driver for developing genetic resistance. Using proteomics, 13C isotopomer analysis, genetic and biochemical assays, we investigated the physiological response of M. smegmatis challenged with aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Two distinct classes of antibiotics elicited remarkably similar responses and increased flux through the TCA cycle, causing enhanced respiration, ROS generation, and ATP burst. We observed that excessive ATP levels and not ROS dominantly contribute to cidality, which may in part be conferred by sequestration of divalent metal ions by ATP. Consequently, 13C isotope tracing indicated TCA cycle flux deviation from its oxidative arm as a bacterial adaptive mechanism, which also included activated intrinsic resistance and a higher propensity to develop antibiotic resistance. Our study provides a new understanding of the intricate mechanisms of antibiotic-induced cell death and expands the current paradigm for antibiotic action.
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Journal articleLodhiya T, Palande A, Veeram A, et al., 2026,
ATP burst is the dominant driver of antibiotic lethality in Mycobacterium smegmatis
, eLife, Vol: 13<jats:p> Antibiotic-tolerant bacteria, due to their unique physiology, are refractory to antimicrobial killing and pose challenges for infection control. Incomplete knowledge of how bactericidal antibiotics work limits our understanding of partial resistance due to phenotypic tolerance in mycobacteria, a driver for developing genetic resistance. Using proteomics, <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C isotopomer analysis, genetic and biochemical assays, we investigated the physiological response of <jats:italic>M. smegmatis</jats:italic> challenged with aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Two distinct classes of antibiotics elicited remarkably similar responses and increased flux through the TCA cycle, causing enhanced respiration, ROS generation, and ATP burst. We observed that excessive ATP levels and not ROS dominantly contribute to cidality, which may in part be conferred by sequestration of divalent metal ions by ATP. Consequently, <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C isotope tracing indicated TCA cycle flux deviation from its oxidative arm as a bacterial adaptive mechanism, which also included activated intrinsic resistance and a higher propensity to develop antibiotic resistance. Our study provides a new understanding of the intricate mechanisms of antibiotic-induced cell death and expands the current paradigm for antibiotic action. </jats:p>
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Journal articleMishra V, Kozik Z, Biswas P, et al., 2026,
Rehydration rescues Il22-/- mice from lethal Citrobacter rodentium infection
, Nature Communications, Vol: 17, ISSN: 2041-1723Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is considered indispensable for host defence against Citrobacter rodentium, with 100% mortality of Il22 -/- mice. While IL-22 promotes epithelial barrier integrity and production of antimicrobial peptides, the precise mechanism underlying lethality remains unclear. Here, we show that following C. rodentium infection Il22-/- mice succumb due to dehydration, rather than failure to control bacterial burden or regenerate damaged intestinal epithelium. Proteomic and gene expression analysis reveal greater enterocyte depletion in C. rodentium-infected Il22-/- mice, resulting in significant reductions in ion transporter abundances. We show that while not reducing bacterial load, improving the gut barrier integrity, or affecting immune responses, fluid therapy (FT) fully rescues Il22-/- mice by correcting systemic dehydration. Survival is associated with locally increased Reg3b, IL-17F and IL-10 levels, suggesting activation of compensatory pathways that potentially support recovery in the absence of IL-22. Recovered Il22-/- mice exhibit epithelial cell regeneration and tissue physiology similarly to C. rodentium-infected Il22+/+ mice. These findings suggest that dehydration is the primary cause of mortality in Il22-/- mice and reveal that IL-22 prevent this outcome by preserving epithelial integrity and fluid-ion absorption. Importantly, this study underscores the necessity of incorporating supportive therapies into preclinical infection models to better reflect physiological settings and improve their relevance in modelling human disease.
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Journal articleWeeks TL, Walkden PA, Edwards DP, et al., 2026,
Land-use change undermines the stability of avian functional diversity
, Nature, Vol: 649, Pages: 381-387, ISSN: 0028-0836Land-use change causes widespread shifts in the composition and functional diversity of species assemblages. However, its impact on ecosystem resilience remains uncertain. The stability of ecosystem functioning may increase after land-use change because the most sensitive species are removed, which leaves more resilient survivors1,2,3. Alternatively, ecosystems may be destabilized if land-use change reduces functional redundancy, which accentuates the ecological impacts of further species loss4,5. Current evidence is inconclusive, partly because trait data have not been available to quantify functional stability at sufficient scale. Here we use morphological measurements of 3,696 bird species to estimate shifts in functional redundancy after recent anthropogenic land-use change at 1,281 sites worldwide. We then use extinction simulations to assess the sensitivity of these altered assemblages to future species loss. Although the proportion of disturbance-tolerant species increases after land-use change, we show that this does not increase stability because functional redundancy is reduced. This decline in redundancy destabilizes ecosystem function because relatively few additional extinctions lead to accelerated losses of functional diversity, particularly in trophic groups that deliver important ecological services such as seed dispersal and insect predation. Our analyses indicate that land-use change may have major undetected impacts on the resilience of key ecological functions, hindering the capacity of natural ecosystems to absorb further reductions in functionality caused by ongoing perturbations.
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Journal articleHabtewold T, Lwetoijera DW, Hoermann A, et al., 2026,
Gene-drive-capable mosquitoes suppress patient-derived malaria in Tanzania
, Nature, Vol: 649, Pages: 442-448, ISSN: 0028-0836Gene drive technology presents a transformative approach to combatting malaria by introducing genetic modifications into wild mosquito populations to reduce their vectorial capacity. Although effective modifications have been developed, these efforts have been confined to laboratories in the global north. We previously demonstrated that modifying Anopheles gambiae to express two exogenous antimicrobial peptides inhibits the sporogonic development of laboratory-cultured Plasmodium falciparum, with models predicting substantial contributions to malaria elimination in Africa when integrated with gene drive1,2,3. However, the effectiveness of this modification against genetically diverse, naturally circulating parasite isolates remained unknown. To address this critical gap, we adapted our technology for an African context by establishing infrastructural and research capacity in Tanzania, enabling the engineering of local A. gambiae under containment. Here we report the generation of a transgenic strain equipped with non-autonomous gene drive capabilities that robustly inhibits genetically diverse P. falciparum isolates obtained from naturally infected children. These genetic modifications were efficiently inherited by progeny when supplemented with Cas9 endonuclease provided by another locally engineered strain. Our work brings gene drive technology a critical step closer to application, providing a locally tailored and powerful tool for malaria eradication through the targeted dissemination of beneficial genetic traits in wild mosquito populations.
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Journal articleLiu B, Lu B, De A, et al., 2026,
Electrical control of a metal-mediated DNA memory
, Matter, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2590-2393We demonstrate that a single DNA duplex that is designed to allow binding to specific metal ions (Hg<sup>2+</sup>/Ag<sup>+</sup>) and <3 nm in length can function as a fully electronic multi-bit memory system (+1, 0, −1). The system is reversible, allowing digital information to be electrically written, read, and erased in a solid-state, chip-based platform. This demonstrates a method that can enable DNA-based systems to be integrated with conventional electronics at scale and to electrically control chemical reactions that allow the electronic structure within the DNA to be modified to store information.
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Journal articlePretorius D, Nikov G, Washio K, et al., 2026,
Designing novel solenoid proteins with in silico evolution
, Communications Chemistry, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2399-3669Solenoid proteins are elongated tandem repeat proteins with diverse biological functions, making them attractive targets for protein design. Advances in machine learning have transformed our understanding of sequence-structure relationships, enabling new approaches for de novo protein design. Here, we present an in silico evolution platform that couples a solenoid discriminator network with AlphaFold2 as an oracle within a genetic algorithm. Starting from random sequences, we design α-, β-, and αβ-solenoid backbones, generating structures that span natural and novel solenoid space. We experimentally characterise 41 solenoid designs, with α-solenoids consistently folding as intended, including one structurally validated design that closely matches the design model. All β-solenoids initially failed, reflecting the difficulty of designing β-strand majority proteins. By introducing terminal capping elements and refining designs based on earlier experimental screens, we generate two β-solenoids that have biophysical properties consistent with their designs. Our approach achieves fold-specific hallucination-based design without depending on explicit structural templates.
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Journal articleAl-Zarah H, Singh VR, Woloszyn K, et al., 2026,
DNA Glass: Encasing Diffraction-Quality, Mesoporous DNA Crystals in Architected Silica.
, Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, Vol: 65Self-assembling DNA crystals have emerged over the last two decades as an efficient and effective means of organizing matter at the nanoscale, but functionalization of these lattices has proved challenging as physiological buffer conditions are required to maintain structural integrity. In this manuscript, we demonstrate the silicification of mesoporous DNA crystals using sol-gel chemistry. We identify reaction conditions that produce the minimum coating thickness to confer environmental protection, and we subsequently measure this protective ability to various stressors, including heat, low ionic strength solution, organic solvents, and unprotected freezing. By soaking metal ions and dyes into the lattice after silica coating, we demonstrate that the crystals maintain their pores and that the major groove of the DNA can still be used as a sequence-specific template for chemical reactions. We image a library of different crystal motifs by electron microscopy, and we perform X-ray diffraction on these crystals, both with and without cryoprotection, to determine the structure of the DNA frame, underscoring the conserved molecular order after coating. We anticipate these mesoporous silica composites will find use in applications involving extreme, nonphysiological conditions and in experiments which utilize the DNA glass described here as a template for chemical reactions on the internal surface of architected materials.
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PatentJung U, Ali S, Mathias S, et al., 2026,
Genetic constructs for improved aav titers and potency
, WO2026003353A1The present invention relates to a rep plasmid comprising at least one long adeno-associated virus replication protein coding sequence encoding at least one long functional rep protein, at least one short adeno-associated virus replication protein coding sequence encoding at least one short functional rep protein, and at least one heterologous element, wherein following translation the at least one heterologous element results in a ratio of long adeno-associated virus rep protein to short adeno-associated virus rep protein of about 1:5 to about 1:5000.
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Journal articleLoft T, Oliveras Menor I, Stevens N, et al., 2026,
Energy flows reveal declining ecosystem functions by animals across Africa
, Nature, Vol: 649, Pages: 104-112, ISSN: 0028-0836A key challenge for ecological science is to understand how biodiversity loss is changing ecosystem structure and function at scales that are relevant for policy1. Almost all biodiversity metrics are challenging to disaggregate into animal-mediated ecosystem functions such as pollination, seed and nutrient dispersal, and predation. Here we adopt an ecosystem energetics approach2 as a physically meaningful method of translating animal species composition into a suite of ecosystem functions. Drawing on new datasets that estimate biodiversity intactness and species population densities3,4,5, we quantify historical changes to energy flows through mammal- and bird-mediated ecosystem functions across sub-Saharan Africa. In total, trophic energy flows have decreased by more than one-third. The pattern of decreasing function varies by historical biome, driven by arboreal birds and primates in forests, terrestrial herbivores in grassy systems, and burrowing mammals in arid systems. Functions performed by megafauna in particular have collapsed outside protected areas. Compared with other biodiversity metrics, an energetics approach highlights the ecological importance of smaller animals and keystone species. The results can help practitioners conserve and restore functionally diverse, energetically intact ecosystems across land uses and biomes. By relating biodiversity intactness to energy and material flows, ecosystem energetics can also advance efforts to integrate animal-driven functions into biosphere and earth system models, helping us to understand possible regional or planetary boundaries6 for biodiversity.
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Journal articleNeu CT, Antonopoulos A, Dell A, et al., 2026,
Gne-depletion in C2C12 myoblasts leads to alterations in glycosylation and myopathogene expression
, Cells, Vol: 15, ISSN: 2073-4409GNE myopathy is a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the GNE gene. The respective gene product, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE), is a bifunctional enzyme that initiates endogenous sialic acid biosynthesis. Sialic acids are important building blocks for the glycosylation machinery of cells and are typically found at the terminal ends of glycoprotein N- and O-glycans. The exact pathomechanism of GNE myopathy remains elusive, and a better understanding of the disease is urgently needed for the development of therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hyposialylation on glycan structures and subsequent downstream effects in the C2C12 Gne knockout cell model. No overall remodeling of N-glycans was observed in the absence of Gne, but differences in glycosaminoglycan expression and O-GlcNAcylation were detected. Expression analysis of myopathogenes revealed concomitant down-regulation of muscle-specific genes. Among the top candidates were the sodium channel protein type 4 subunit α (Scn4a), voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel subunit α-1s (Cacna1s), ryanodine receptor 1 (Ryr1), and glycogen phosphorylase (Pygm), which are associated with excitation-contraction coupling and energy metabolism. The results suggest that remodeling of the glycome could have detrimental effects on intracellular signaling, excitability of skeletal muscle tissue, and glucose metabolism.
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