Cell Reports December, 2022 by Harald Shuhwerk et al.
The EMT transcription factor ZEB1 governs a fitness-promoting but vulnerable DNA replication stress response

The authors discover a chemoresistant ZEB1-high-expressing subpopulation of cancer cells. Then, they use SORT-seq to study the transcriptomes of ZEB1-high- and low-expressing cells. They find changes in cell cycle progression and DNA damage response, which creates stress resistance. This is found to, at the same time, create a targetable vulnerability in chemoresistant ZEB1-high-expressing cancer cells, which could be exploited in therapy.

Cell Reports July, 2022 by Lieke L. van de Haar et al.
Molecular signatures and cellular diversity during mouse habenula development

The authors performed SORT-seq on mouse habenular neurons at critical developmental stages, instructed by detailed 3D anatomical data. The data reveal cellular and molecular trajectories during embryonic and postnatal development, leading to different habenular subtypes. Among these, the Cartpt+ neuron subtype was studied in-depth and successfully linked to specific molecular and functional properties.

Cell Reports May, 2022 by Martijn Wehrens et al.
Single-cell transcriptomics provides insights into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Wehrens et al. perform single-cell RNA sequencing on the hearts of patients who suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This reveals cardiomyocyte subpopulations, gene regulatory networks, transcription factors, and hypertrophy-related genes that might be relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease.

Cell Reports March, 2022 by Joep Beumer et al.
BMP gradient along the intestinal villus axis controls zonated enterocyte and goblet cell states

Beumer et al. show that the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway controls the creation of functional zones along the crypt-villus axis. A gene lipid uptake gene signature is enriched in the villus tip and could be therapeutically exploited with BMP inhibitors.