Old genes in new species

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For the first time, researchers used CRISPR gene modification technology to treat a person infected with HIV. Chinese scientists have developed human stem cells to mimic a rare form of natural immunity to the virus and transplanted them into a man with HIV and a blood cancer. Cells modified by the gene survived in the human body for more than a year without causing detectable side effects, but the cell count was not high enough to significantly reduce the amount of HIV in the body. his blood.

Nature | 5 min reading

Many anti-cancer drugs have failed in clinical trials. The reason could be that they are targeting the wrong molecules. One analysis used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene edition to examine ten drugs, seven of which are currently in clinical trials. He revealed that the proteins they target are not essential for the survival of cancer cells. The result does not necessarily mean that the drugs do not work at all, but that we do not know how.

Nature | 4 min read

The taboos surrounding human consanguinity make its frequency difficult to evaluate. The researchers turned to the approximately 450,000 human genomes from a British biomedical database. They found that 1 in 3,652 people born in the United Kingdom between 1938 and 1967 had two sets of chromosomes sharing more than 10% of their DNA, indicating that their parents were close relatives.

Highlights of Nature Research | 4 min read

Reference: Nature Communications paper

Get more from NatureHighlights of the research: short selections from the latest articles.

CHARACTERISTICS AND ADVICE

Hybrid animals – from different species – could be a surprising resource from which creatures could move in new directions to form new species. Hybrids seem to allow the old genetic variants, which appeared long before a particular speciation event, to return to a central place, allowing a faster adaptation to many evolutionary niches. Discover more in quanta, with the added pleasure of some very beautiful photographs of cichlid fish.

Quanta | 10 min read

Reference: Cell paper

"If the search system is effective, there is a problem," says Alan Finkel, chief scientist of Australia. Drawing on the lessons learned from a survey of banker failures, he looks closely at the incentives that push some scientists in the wrong direction. Finkel is asking for accredited integrity training for researchers, putting an end to the priority given to the amount of publication and the help of the granting agencies to tackle "predatory, evil and dishonest journals".

The conversation | 6 min read

An exclusive analysis of Nature Journalist Holly Else suggests that several scientific fields are far from male-dominated conferences and panels. Else says at Podcast Nature how she exploited the data and explored some of the issues she raised. "Although people can strive to achieve a balance 50:50 [among conference speakers]there is some kind of big debate about whether this is appropriate given that some areas are not globally at 50:50, "says Else.

Podcast Nature | 26 min listening

Read more: How to ban manners and conferences from scientific meetings (Nature | 11 min read)

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BOOKS AND ARTS

According to Subhra Priyadarshini (who is also editor-in-chief of the magazine), a new film on the March 2013 mission in India features successful scientific narratives performed by a dazzling cast. Nature India). She explores the story of how the Indian Space Research Organization has taken on an interplanetary challenge with insight, frugality and national pride.

Nature | 4 min read

Five best science books this week

Barbara Kiser's choice among the five scientific books to be read this week includes synthetic meat, racism at the poles and the long road to the opioid crisis.

Nature | 3 min reading