Cell Biology

Macromolecular condensation is unlikely to buffer intracellular osmolality

1. Alan R. Kay

Reviewed by Biophysics Colab

The sperm hook in house mice: a functional adaptation for migration and self-organised behaviour

1. Heungjin Ryu
2. Kibum Nam
3. Byeong Eun Lee
4. Yundon Jeong
5. Seunghun Lee
6. Jeongmo Kim
7. Young-Min Hyun
8. Jae-Ick Kim
9. Jung-Hoon Park

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study uses ex vivo live imaging of uteri post-mating to test the role of the sperm hook in the house mouse sperm in sperm movement that would be interesting to evolutionary biologists. The significance of the work is useful as live imaging can reveal information not seen in fixed images. The strength of evidence is incomplete as they cannot directly test the role of the sperm hook in facilitating movement along the uterine wall.

Reviewed by eLife

Amoeboid cells undergo durotaxis with soft end polarized NMIIA

1. Chenlu Kang
2. Pengcheng Chen
3. Xin Yi
4. Dong Li
5. Yiping Hu
6. Yihong Yang
7. Huaqing Cai
8. Bo Li
9. Congying Wu

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents an important finding on durotaxis in various amoeboid cells that is independent of focal adhesions. The evidence supporting the authors' claims is compelling. The work will be of interest to cell biologists and biophysicists working on rigidity sensing, the cytoskeleton, and cell migration.

Reviewed by eLife

Multi-omics analyses and machine learning prediction of oviductal responses in the presence of gametes and embryos

1. Ryan M Finnerty
2. Daniel J Carulli
3. Akshata Hegde
4. Yanli Wang
5. Frimpong Baodu
6. Sarayut Winuthayanon
7. Jianlin Cheng
8. Wipawee Winuthayanon

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study reports the transcriptomic and proteomic landscape of the oviducts at four different preimplantation periods during natural fertilization, pseudopregnancy, and superovulation. The data presented convincingly supported the conclusion in general, although more analyses would strengthen the conclusions drawn. This work will interest reproductive biologists and clinicians practicing reproductive medicine.

Reviewed by eLife

The triad interaction of ULK1, ATG13, and FIP200 is required for ULK complex formation and autophagy

1. Yutaro Hama
2. Yuko Fujioka
3. Hayashi Yamamoto
4. Noboru Mizushima
5. Nobuo N Noda

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study corroborates recent findings from another group and provides valuable insights into the structure of the autophagy initiation complex, which includes ULK1, ATG13, and FIP200. The authors present solid evidence that supports their claims and addresses one of the key questions in autophagy initiation.

Reviewed by eLife

Identification of ERAD-dependent degrons for the endoplasmic reticulum lumen

1. Rachel Sharninghausen
2. Jiwon Hwang
3. Devon D Dennison
4. Ryan D Baldridge

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study identifies a short amino acid sequence that, when fused in multimeric form to the amino termini of luminal ER proteins, initiates proteasomal degradation via the Hrd1 ER quality control ubiquitin ligase complex. The authors provide solid evidence that this sequence functions as a "degron" for ER proteins. Future work is required to obtain a more detailed view of the properties of this degron, the mechanisms underlying its recognition by ER-resident and cytoplasmic factors, and the in vivo relevance of the findings.

Reviewed by eLife

Formation of a giant unilocular vacuole via macropinocytosis-like process confers anoikis resistance

1. Jeongsik Kim
2. Dahyun Kim
3. Dong-Kyun Kim
4. Sang-Hee Lee
5. Wonyul Jang
6. Dae-Sik Lim

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study reports the formation of a new organelle, called giant unilocular vacuole (GUVac), in mammary epithelial cells through a macropinocytosis-like process. The evidence supporting conclusions is convincing, using state-of-the-art cell biology techniques. This work will be of interest to cell biologists and contribute to the understanding of cell survival mechanisms against anoikis.

Reviewed by eLife

Automated workflow for the cell cycle analysis of (non-)adherent cells using a machine learning approach

1. Kourosh Hayatigolkhatmi
2. Chiara Soriani
3. Emanuel Soda
4. Elena Ceccacci
5. Oualid El Menna
6. Sebastiano Peri
7. Ivan Negrelli
8. Giacomo Bertolini
9. Gian Martino Franchi
10. Roberta Carbone
11. Saverio Minucci
12. Simona Rodighiero

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This paper presents a valuable automated method to track individual mammalian cells as they progress through the cell cycle using the FUCCI system. The authors have developed a technique for analyzing cells that grow in suspension and used their method to look at different tumor cell lines that grow in suspension and determine the effect of drugs that directly affect the cell cycle. They show solid evidence that the method can be applied to both adherent and non-adherent cell lines. This paper will be of interest to cell biologists investigating cell cycle effects.

Reviewed by eLife

Pharmacologic Activation of Integrated Stress Response Kinases Inhibits Pathologic Mitochondrial Fragmentation

1. Kelsey R Baron
2. Samantha Oviedo
3. Sophia Krasny
4. Mashiat Zaman
5. Rama Aldakhlallah
6. Prakhyat Mathur
7. Gerald Pfeffer
8. Michael J Bollong
9. Timothy Shutt
10. Danielle A Grotjahn
11. R Luke Wiseman

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study identifies a new class of small molecules that activate the integrated stress response via the kinase HRI. Solid evidence indicates that two of these compounds promote mitochondrial elongation. The findings would be strengthened if the mutant cells with reduced fusion activity of Mfn2 were analyzed for the rescue of mitochondrial functions.

Reviewed by eLife

Cell crowding induces TRPV4 inhibition and its relocation to plasma membranes, implicating pro-invasive cell volume reduction mechanotransduction pathway

1. Xiangning Bu
2. Nathanael Ashby
3. Teresa Vitali
4. Sulgi Lee
5. Ananya Gottumukkala
6. Kangsun Yun
7. Sana Tabbara
8. Patricia Latham
9. Christine Teal
10. Inhee Chung

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  In this important study, Bu et al investigate how cell overcrowding triggers a mechano-transduction pathway involving TRPV4 channels, focusing on high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cells. The authors show that cell crowding in these malignant cells leads to a reduction in cell volume and promotes a pro-invasive phenotype through calcium homeostasis and TRPV4 channel trafficking to the plasma membrane; this phenomenon is specific to invasive cell lines like MCF10CA and DCIS and is corroborated by patient tissue samples. The work suggests the role of TRPV4 in cell motility and mechanical sensing, offering potential therapeutic insights for targeting cancer metastasis. While the study presents robust and convincing data, the absence of TRPV4 genetic ablation is a critical limitation, which would further confirm its role in these processes.

Reviewed by eLife