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Living things are a complex, coordinated network of systems, and understanding their basic organization and function integrates multiple levels of biology. This page broadly highlights our most exciting recent publications covering topics from molecular mechanisms of cellular behaviours to organismal physiology.
Genetic association studies with affinity proteomics face challenges when dealing with protein altering variants. Suhre et al. show that nanoparticle enrichment mass-spectrometry can distinguish between epitope effects and bona fide protein quantitative traits.
Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death associated with lipid oxidation. Here, the authors demonstrate that the proferroptosis signal is activated and drives vascular aging by inducing senescence in vascular smooth muscle cells.
Lu et al. show that single-stranded DNA produced as a result of DNA damage may directly activate PprI in Deinococcus species, triggering the DNA damage response.
Spontaneous activation of VEGFRs is a hallmark of diabetes and several cancers. Here, the authors show how in VEGFR1 a juxtamembrane segment connecting the catalytic and ligand-binding domains of the receptor can prevent its spontaneous activation.
Upon physiological injury, hepatocytes transdifferentiate into biliary epithelial cells, a process involving molecular rewiring. Here, authors show that Sox4 organizes the early steps, acting as a pioneer factor to decommission hepatocyte enhancers and open chromatin around biliary genes.
The quality of germline mitochondria is essential for producing healthy oocytes. Here, Ng, Chan and Pek report a stable intron that modulates germline mitochondrial quality control during fasting, heat stress and aging.
The importance of the SEL1L-HRD1 interaction in vivo was unclear. Here, authors reported that SEL1L-HRD1 interaction is required to form a functional HRD1 ERAD complex by recruiting the E2 enzyme UBE2J1 and DERLIN to HRD1.
Actin mediates insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells through remodeling. Here, authors report the in situ structure of actin remodeling and quantify changes in architecture, alignment, and interactions during glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
Mitochondrial biogenesis and maintenance relies on protein import from the cytosol. Here, authors show that import failure impacts organelle structure and dynamics. They also identify a rescue mechanism involving intercellular mitochondrial transfer.
The role of methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MAP2) at the ribosome goes beyond N-terminal methionine excision. Klein et al. use cryo-EM to identify a second MAP2 binding site on the ribosome, and describe the dynamic interactions of MAP2 at the ribosome.
Succinate dehydrogenase converts malate to enoloxaloacetate, a metabolically inactive and inhibitory side product of the TCA cycle. Here, Zmuda et al. describe a conserved metabolite damage repair enzyme that can remove enol-oxaloacetate and is critical for efficient aerobic respiration.
Dysregulated autophagy and mitochondrial function are two well-described hallmarks of aging. Here, the authors describe an unexpected age-associated upregulation of mitophagy in response to neuroinflammation triggered by leaked mtDNA.
How cell cycling coordinates with cell survival and death remains unclear. Here, the authors reveal a suppressive effect of cell cycle arrest on ferroptosis and propose a ferroptosis-inducing approach to treat slow-cycling, therapy-resistant cancers.
Regulation of cell polarity is key to ensure directed cell migration. Here, Atkins et al. identify the primary cilium cAMP/cGMP ratio as a master regulator of the cell polarity of migrating cortical interneurons downstream of the CXCL12 chemokine.
Meiotic drivers of the wtf family kill progeny lacking the driver by producing a toxin and an antidote. Here, authors reveal that ubiquitination-mediated sorting of the antidote prevents it from becoming toxic and enables it to neutralize the toxin.
Different membrane proteins dynamically polarize to organize signal transduction, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, the authors show that a differential diffusion mediated partitioning process is sufficient to drive such spatiotemporal patterning of membrane-associated signaling proteins.
Autophagosome formation involves membrane morphological changes. Here, authors statistically determined average shapes of forming autophagosomes from 3D electron micrographs and established a theoretical model that quantitatively reproduces them.
The cells of our bodies use chemical signals to talk with each other. Here the authors describe a class of signaling molecules called “capped peptides” that may mediate cell-cell communication. Unlike other peptides, capped peptides have unique chemical modifications which make them potentially more active and stable.
Co-fractionation mass spectrometry (CF-MS) is a powerful technique for mapping protein interactions under physiological conditions. Here, the authors uniformly re-process 411 CF-MS experiments and carry out meta-analyses of protein abundance, protein-protein interactions, and phosphorylation sites in the resulting resource.
How nuclear architecture assists the replication stress response is still largely unknown. Here the authors show that nuclear actin polymerization rapidly extends upon mild DNA damage. By limiting Primpol activity, this response mediates fork slowing and reversal, protecting chromosome stability.
Here the authors show that the basal activation of the interferon/ISG15 pathway is required for the stability of nascent DNA during replication and its upregulation promotes viability, proliferation and acquisition of drug resistance in BRCA1/2 deficient cells.
Few resident cell surface proteins have been identified at the axon initial segment. Here, Ogawa and colleagues use proximity labeling and proteomics to identify Contactin-1 as a transmembrane axon initial segment protein that regulates brain wiring.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects 25% of people worldwide. Here the authors report that spliceosome component Usp39 deletion in mice leads to spontaneous steatosis and impaired autophagy through the regulation of alternative splicing.
Mitochondrial function is essential for energy metabolism in brown adipocytes. Here, the authors show that LCN2 plays a critical role as a phosphatidic acid binding protein in phospholipid acyl chain remodeling and mitochondrial bioenergetics, influencing signaling pathway activation.
Phase separation serves to compartmentalize and concentrate cellular components to facilitate essential physiological processes. Here, the authors elucidate the role and mechanism of BuGZ-mediated phase separation in the context of gut regeneration and aging.
Proximity between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum regulates mitochondria fitness and is adversely affected by tissue ischemia. This work reveals that Diaphanous1-Mitofusin2 interaction regulates this proximity and impairs recovery in ischemia.
The role of the mitochondrial fusion protein OPA1 in liver function is unknown. Here, authors showed that OPA1 is dispensable in the liver, and that the mitohormesis induced by OPA1 deletion prevents liver injury and contributes to liver resiliency.
The mitochondrial phosphatase PPTC7 has previously been linked to the maintenance of mitochondrial content, but the mechanisms underlying this phenotype remain unclear. Here, the authors demonstrate that loss of Pptc7 results in metabolic defects and further suggest that PPTC7 is a regulator of receptor-mediated mitophagy.
Spatial compartmentalization is central to nuclear function. Here, the authors demonstrate that EPAC1 can enter the nucleus and regulate the transcription of a histone cluster by forming biomolecular condensates in its proximity in response to cAMP.
It is unknown how the kinetochore fibrous corona is disassembled. Here, the authors reveal that Aurora A and B kinases-mediated phosphorylation activates CENP-E, which is essential to prevent the premature removal of corona proteins by dynein.
Compartmentalization is thought to modulate metabolic flux by spatially segregating enzymes and their coupled reactants. Here, the authors show that peroxisomal compartmentalization of amino acid synthesis imposes an upper limit on compartment size.
The transient elevation in protein translation during early-adulthood in Drosophila imposes long-lasting negative impacts on future aging trajectories by triggering proteostatic dysfunction at old ages.
How do cells regulate their migration speed and direction? Here, authors discover that keratocyte cells can reversibly switch between different migration modes, by changing the 3D lamellipodium shape and intracellular diffusion.
A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) target protein kinase A to specific locations within the cell. Here, the authors identify SPHKAP as an AKAP that enriches protein kinase A near ER-plasma membrane contact sites in brain neurons.
Estrogen has anti-diabetic effects via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Here, authors show that via coupled nuclear and non-nuclear actions, ERα in endothelial cells promotes insulin transport to skeletal muscle to foster normal glucose homeostasis.
Mitochondrial quality control is critical for cellular homeostasis and survival. Here, the authors identify that defective mitochondria can be eliminated via secretion in large extracellular vesicles when internal lysosomal degradation is compromised.
Contractile forces are key to sorting the embryonic inner cell mass from the extraembryonic trophectoderm. Here they show that Lamin-A links changes in mechanical forces to cell fate specification, enabling Yap-Cdx2 signaling in outer, but not inner cells.
In the DNA damage response, ADP-ribosylation is an essential signaling pathway. Here the authors utilize a multidisciplinary approach to establish its molecular basis in fruit flies and provide evidence for Drosophila’s suitability as model organism.
The extent of phosphorylated p38 MAPK is known to determine signaling. Here, the authors show the relative pool of non-phosphorylated p38 MAPK modulates signaling output to control growth, lysosome formation and neuronal integrity during early aging.
Several organelle membranes make contact in the cell, with many contacts being spatially segregated sites dedicated to specific functions. Here, Hao et al. show that hypoxia increases mitochondria-lysosome contacts, leading to engulfment and degradation of the mitochondria.
Pathogens secrete effectors to promote disease, symbionts might use them to confer benefits. Here, the authors identify 106 candidate effectors from the symbiont Serendipita indica, characterise their interactions, and reveal their roles in regulating phytohormone signalling and promoting growth.
Cystinosis is a lysosomal storage disease that affects the kidney. Here, the authors use preclinical models and advanced profiling techniques to discover the mechanism by which defective cystine mobilization from lysosomes disrupts kidney cell function, offering insights into potential therapies.
The endoplasmic reticulum protein DFCP1 is found on omegasomes implicated in autophagosome biogenesis, but its function has remained unknown. Here, Nähse et al. show that DFCP1 is an ATPase that mediates selective autophagy by promoting constriction of large omegasomes.
Mitochondrial dysfunction results in the accumulation of mitochondrial proteins in the cytosol. Here, the authors show that the immunoproteasome subunit PSMB9 promotes protein degradation to maintain cellular protein homeostasis.
While dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) is known to metabolize the endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthases, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), the function of DDAH2 has remained controversial. Here, the authors present several lines of evidence that DDAH2 does not hydrolyze ADMA.
Sphingolipids can function as lipid signaling molecules. Here, the authors find that the endoplasmic reticulum calcium channel Csg2 integrates sphingolipid metabolism with autophagy by regulating calcium homeostasis in endoplasmic reticulum.
Adopting a round cell morphology before mitosis is crucial. Here, the authors show that in mitosis integrins binding to ligands do not engage the actomyosin cortex, which curbs cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, though β1 integrins are rewired to synergize with cadherins in mitotic cell-cell adhesion.
Multiple species can achieve whole-body regeneration through the action of adult stem cells, though little is known about how these cells compare across species. Here they investigated the stem cells of a marine worm, the acoel Hofstenia miamia, and identified heterogeneity of these cells during development and regeneration.
How do cells of the preimplantation mouse embryo make decisions? Here the authors discovered that the spatial sorting of mRNAs, tRNA, rRNAs and organelles lead to localized translation, conducive for cell fate allocation and embryonic development.
YAP signaling has been established as a mechanotransductive pathway in multiple contexts, but its developmental roles are still being explored. Here they show that YAP signaling sustains intracellular tension to direct cell migration during embryonic axis assembly.