Permeation and transport articles from across Nature Portfolio

KdpD is known as the sensory histidine kinase of two-component system KdpDE that controls the transcription of the kdpFABC genes. Here, the authors show that KdpD acts as atypical serine kinase, which post-translationally regulates KdpFABC.

Light-driven sodium-pumping rhodopsins are unique ion transporters. Here, authors present a characterization of such rhodopsins with a modified active center allowing for efficient sodium transport under various environmental conditions.

The human Asc-1-4F2hc complex plays an important role in the neural development and stability. Here, authors determine the cryo-EM structures of Asc-1-4F2hc complex in three states, revealing its substrate recognition and transport mechanism.

Electrical stimulation of hollow, 3D kidney tissues causes these tissues to inflate and change shape. The authors call this process electro-inflation and connect it to electricity driving ions into the center of the tissues, causing water to follow by osmosis.

To promote the development of effective small molecule modulators that may help treat diverse neuropsychiatric disorders, this study elucidates the mechanism of a specific positive modulator of neuronal potassium channels at near-atomic resolution.

K_ATP channels regulate insulin secretion and are activated by PIP₂. Here, the authors show PIP₂ binds between SUR1 and Kir6.2 to open the channel, and a neonatal diabetes mutation stabilizes K_ATP channels in a PIP₂-bound open conformation.

In this work, Morgenstern and colleagues describe an approach involving functionalized nanobodies which decrease the activity of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels associated with β₁ subunits and promote their removal from the surface membrane of neurons and muscle.

Entropy-driven protein sorting traffics membrane-anchored exposed proteins to the surface of Gram-positive bacteria.

Using organic solvent shortens formation time of membrane nanosheets comprising proteins and copolymers, while tuning protein structure tailors the pore geometry, resulting in superior water permeation.

Cellular organelles extensively communicate with each other by close interactions, known as membrane contact sites. Schuldiner and Bohnert comment on the progress of this rapidly developing field, highlighting that the complexity of interactions at membrane contact sites is only now starting to emerge.

A nanopore built from DNA allows the controlled and selective transport of organic molecules across a lipid membrane.

Surface topography and fluid flow combine to modify quorum sensing communication in bacterial biofilms, changing the way we think about the interaction of biofilms with external physical forces and the implications for persistence in chronic infections and industrial fouling.