DNA damage poses a constant threat to genome integrity, especially in germ cells that transmit genetic information to offspring. While most DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms are ancient and shared across vertebrates, the team discovered that simians (including humans, apes, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys) possess a unique, recently evolved DDR regulator — SAGE1 — that provides an extra layer of protection to spermatogonia. Through its unique tandem exon repeats (SERs), SAGE1 coordinates multiple key repair complexes including MRN-CtIP, SOSS, and NuA4 to promote accurate homologous recombination (HR) repair while suppressing error-prone non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). This work reveals that simians have acquired an additional regulatory layer atop the conserved DDR machinery, offering new insights into the genetic basis of enhanced germline genome stability in the simian lineage.

Researchers from the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Uppsala University found that ancient trees are far from genetically uniform. Some preserve rare genetic variation that is poorly represented elsewhere, while others largely harbor genetic variation already found in surviving wild or cultivated populations.

This collection features articles on Nanomaterials published in Smart Materials in Manufacturing. All articles are free to read and download.

This collection features articles on Functional Materials published in Smart Materials in Manufacturing. All articles are free to read and download.

A research team has identified clear body-shape differences between wild and farmed populations of the stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis in Bangladesh.

This collection features articles on Polymer published in Smart Materials in Manufacturing. All articles are free to read and download.