Nature Communications

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74427-9 SMCHD1 is a key player in X chromosome inactivation in mammals and has been linked to two human disorders. Here, the authors present insight into SMCHD1’s mode of interaction and functionality at its target sites.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74399-w Using transmission electron microscopy, this study reveals the 3D structure of partially intercalated graphite, showing breakdowns in conventional staging behavior and highlighting how lattice defects govern early-stage intercalation.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74408-y Synthetic gene circuits enable cellular programming, but executing complex functions in mammalian cells remains challenging. Here, the authors introduce RNA-based circuit designs that enable logic gates, adders, and a multiplexer in fewer computational layers, addressing scalability barriers.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73467-5 The extracellular matrix provides structure to tumor tissue and can act as a barrier to anti-tumor immunity. Here, the authors demonstrate that enzymatic modification of matrix glycans shapes T cell-macrophage interactions and reduces immunosuppression within triple-negative breast cancer tumors.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73733-6 Precisely dated cave records show that a prolonged slowdown in Atlantic ocean circulation drove exceptional ocean heat buildup and rapid ice-sheet melting during Termination IV (~340,000 years ago), when sea-level rise rates exceeded those of today.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74257-9 By integrating miniaturized cameras with stretchable interconnects, this skin-conformal rigid-in-soft system endows dynamic surfaces with high-fidelity visual capabilities, augmenting perception for wearables and embodied artificial intelligence.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74475-1 Electrocatalytic NO reduction to NH3 is hindered by insufficient NO activation. Here, the authors report Cu1−Ti pairs that integrate the N affinity of Ti and O affinity of Cu to efficiently activate NO via bidirectional electron donation, thus achieving a high NH3 yield and Faradaic efficiency.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74368-3 The study reveals that orbital-driven convection in the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool generates planetary Rossby waves. These waves propagate poleward, organizing a coherent, banded precipitation anomaly pattern across the Asia-Pacific region.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74453-7 Polyvinyl chloride microplastics have been detected within clinical settings and may influence bacterial infections. Here, the authors demonstrate that these microplastics facilitate acute infection by uropathogenic E. coli, helping the bacteria evade immune cells and increase shedding.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73563-6 National-level technology diffusion rates vary substantially across 130 technologies and 5,990 time series. Newer technologies, as well as smaller, less materially intensive, and shorter-lived technologies, tend to be adopted more quickly.

Nature Communications, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74057-1 Fam K. et al. identified peptidoglycan hydrolase SagA that modulates antibiotic susceptibility of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Pharmacological inhibition of SagA restored vancomycin efficacy across multidrug-resistant clinical strains.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74483-1 Responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with relapsed or refractory extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (R/R ENKTL) remain limited. Here the authors report the results of a phase 1b/2 trial of liposomal mitoxantrone plus anti-PD-1 tislelizumab in patients with R/R ENKTL.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74459-1 The authors develop a polarization reversal method to distinguish intrinsic and interfacial pyroelectric effects in ferroelectric films and clarify their material-specific dominance. It enables the development of better thermal energy harvesters and sensors.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74336-x Millions in the US lack official flood risk data. This study uses an AI model to learn from existing maps and complete the US flood hazard map, revealing over 11 million more people exposed to flood risks, a 69% increase from current official records.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74122-9 A speech-based AI model detects depression from voice recordings with high accuracy. The deep learning model achieves 93% accuracy in internal validation and 88% in external validation, demonstrating potential as an objective screening tool.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73189-8 The regulatory roles of oncogenic KRAS in cell death pathways remain poorly understood. Here the authors report that KRAS induces a type I interferon response that primes pancreatic cancer cells for necroptosis, rendering a therapeutic vulnerability to inhibition of caspase 8.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74205-7 Catalysts often change under working conditions, limiting their stability. This study shows that ammonia can direct ruthenium atoms onto ceria, forming durable active sites for efficient hydrogen production under high-pressure conditions.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74298-0 Recent developments of proton acceleration have demonstrated remarkable energies, yet further insight into the acceleration mechanism is needed to fully achieve application-relevant regimes. Here, the authors demonstrate a hybrid scheme where the established target normal sheath acceleration mechanism is enhance…

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74546-3 The authors report an N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed radical Smiles-type rearrangement which selectively produces 1,4-difunctionalized arenes.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73844-0 F1-ATPase is a rotary motor protein essential for cellular energy transduction. Here the authors develop a thermodynamically consistent Markov model that quantitatively matches experimental data and reconciles prior controversies over its catalytic pathways and inherent stochasticity.