Genetic interaction articles from across Nature Portfolio

A comprehensive benchmarking of existing synthetic lethality (SL) prediction methods is lacking. Here, the authors compare 12 recently developed machine learning methods for SL prediction, assess their performance, and provide guidance on the selection of the most suitable method.

Evolvability modifier mutations alter the rates and benefits of future mutations, but it is difficult to predict when they will be favoured by natural selection. A mathematical framework shows that competition between linked mutations can drive strong selection for modifiers and that subtle differences in evolvability can affect the long-term success of mutations.

Understanding protein sequence-function relationships is complicated by high order epistatic interactions among residues, although the extent of these interactions remains uncertain. Here, the authors present a reference-free method which suggests that sequence-function relationships are relatively simple, with little influence from high order epistatic interactions.

Inferring the emergence and selection of cancer drivers remains a daunting task. Here, the authors develop MutMatch, a statistical method to analyse somatic mutation rates and estimate conditional selection on cancer driver alterations and genes, which reveals cancer gene archetypes with specific selection pressures for different mutation types.

CRISPRi knockdown of essential genes combined with TnSeq of non-essential genes yields a high-throughput method for bacterial genetic interaction mapping.

Dormancy is induced by a cold environment. Here, the authors found that C. elegans undergoes diapause at low temperatures, namely cold-inducible diapause (CID). CID can be induced by the hsf-1 mutation and is regulated by neural pathways and longevity genes.

GSFA is a statistical model to automatically detect latent factors (or gene modules) in single-cell CRISPR screening.

A new study strengthens the association between urbanicity and mental health with more granularity than before, but a causative mechanism remains elusive.

Large-scale CRISPRi chemical genetic screening in Mycobacterium tuberculosis identifies genes altering antibiotic potency and the repurposing of the antibiotic clarithromycin to treat tuberculosis in Southeast Asia.

Genetic-interaction mapping and co-essentiality analyses in human cells reveal the orphan gene C12orf49 (also known as SPRING1) as a novel regulator of lipid-metabolism homeostasis.

A study in Science shows that it is now possible to create high-resolution, non-linear maps of mammalian genetic interactions.