Endocytosis articles from across Nature Portfolio

Growth factors rapidly raise cellular glycolysis. Here, authors unveil a mechanism where RTK/GLUT1-containing endocytic vesicles deliver glucose to glycolytic enzymes near mitochondria without upregulating cell surface glucose transporters.

Many bacterial toxins and viruses deform membranes prior to entering cells via clathrin independent endocytosis. Here the authors show that multivalent lipid binding by globular particles can exceed a threshold adhesion energy required for membrane deformation and that this is sufficient for internalization.

Fibroblasts actively search for and uptake microparticles from their environment and cells preferably uptake microdiamonds over latex beads. Myosin-X, EEA1 and microtubules are involved in this process.

In the kidney, maintaining permeability of the filtration barrier is critical. Here, Sachs W. et al show that homeostasis of podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells relies on differing proteasome constitutions which orchestrate endocytic activity in addition to protein degradation.

Deletion of BECLIN1 in mice leads to fatal intestinal disruption and compromised gut barrier integrity. This study establishes that BECLIN1 is essential for intestinal homeostasis and uncovers its role in endocytic trafficking in this process.

Dragwidge et al. report that the plant endocytic complex, the TSET–TPLATE complex, undergoes biomolecular condensation through interactions with plasma membrane phospholipids and recruits clathrin for endocytosis.

The generation of clathrin-coated vesicles during endocytosis requires the co-ordinated recruitment of dozens of proteins to the plasma membrane. We discovered that the plant TPLATE (or TSET) complex (TPC) undergoes biomolecular condensation through interactions with plasma membrane phospholipids and, via weak multivalent interactions, recruits clathrin and other endocytic proteins to facilitate the efficient progression of endocytosis.

A biomolecular motor exploits a rigid-to-flexible transition of a protein tether, which allows thermal fluctuations to draw together vesicle membranes. This entropic motor helps traffic material into and around cells.

Cyclic cell-penetrating peptides are able to enter cells and deliver cargo molecules without being positively charged, previously assumed to be a prerequisite for inducing endocytosis.

A new study has identified a scavenger receptor-independent mechanism of atherosclerosis development by showing that LDL uptake through macropinocytosis contributes to macrophage foam cell formation and atherosclerosis development and that an FDA-approved drug that inhibits macropinocytosis inhibits atherosclerosis development in mice.

Cail et al. introduce a platform to study the role of plasma membrane curvature during clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

Clathrin- and dynamin-independent endocytosis is considered a major ‘default’ uptake route for cells, but a recent study describes the selective recruitment of integrin-adhesion receptor cargoes via the endocytic adaptor Swip1, which promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis.