MP
Simulation-based survey of TMEM16 family reveals that robust lipid scrambling requires an open groove.
Stephens CA, van Hilten N, Zheng L, Grabe M.
Elife. 2025 Aug 6;14:RP105111.
doi: 10.7554/eLife.105111.
PMID: 40768244.
A Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Novel Positive Allosteric Modulators for the δ-Opioid Receptor.
Deo O, Pham V, Alvi S, Barnes N, Gondin AB, Christopoulos A, Poole DP, Carbone SE, Thal DM, Jörg M, Capuano B, Valant C, Scammells PJ.
ACS Chem Neurosci. 2025 Aug 6;16(15):2958-2977.
doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5c00280. Epub 2025 Jul 18.
PMID: 40679069.
Inward opening (IO) to outward opening (OO) ‘catalytic transition’ and OO to IO ‘relaxation’ of P-glycoprotein: to investigate the role of helices in efflux through targeted molecular dynamics simulation.
Mandal P, Rani P, Singh DV.
In Silico Pharmacol. 2025 Jul 16;13(2):102.
doi: 10.1007/s40203-025-00389-3. eCollection 2025.
PMID: 40678256.
Insights into new mechanosensitive behaviors of G protein-coupled receptors.
Shetty AJ, Sirbu A, Annibale P.
J Mol Endocrinol. 2025 Jul 22:JME-24-0147.
doi: 10.1530/JME-24-0147. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40693855.
Structural basis of ClC-3 transporter inhibition by TMEM9 and PtdIns(3,5)P2.
Schrecker M, Son Y, Planells-Cases R, Kar S, Vorobeva V, Schulte U, Fakler B, Jentsch TJ, Hite RK.
Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2025 Jul 16.
doi: 10.1038/s41594-025-01617-2. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40670814.
Structural insights into brain thyroid hormone transport via MCT8 and OATP1C1.
Ge Y, Dou T, Nguyen TU, Yadav GP, Wensel TG, Jiang J, Huang P.
Cell. 2025 Jul 15:S0092-8674(25)00734-2.
doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.032. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40680733.
Membrane Proteins: Targets That Should Not Be Overlooked for Assessing Human and Ecological Health Effects of Chemicals.
Zhang H, Ihara M, Chen J.
Environ Sci Technol. 2025 Aug 7.
doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c05367. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40772338.
Membranes
Amino acids critical for lipid/s-interaction at the lipid-water-interface of TRPV5/TRPV6 remain different during vertebrate radiation: Relevance in cancer, bone disorders and other pathophysiologies.
Agarwal S, Kumar V, Chattapadhya A, Kumar S, Goswami L, Goswami C.
Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 2025 Jun;1867(5-6):184433.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2025.184433. Epub 2025 Jun 30.
PMID: 40602477.
Effect of glucosylation for the vertical movement of cholesterol in bilayer membranes.
Hanashima S, Asahina T, Malabed R, Sasaki K, Murata M.
Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 2025 Jun;1867(5-6):184422.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2025.184422. Epub 2025 May 1.
PMID: 40318835.
Unveiling a Novel Mechanism of Enhanced Secretion, Cargo Loading, and Accelerated Dynamics of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles Following Antibiotic Exposure.
Li J, Li C, Han Y, Hu Y, Yang J, Xu H, Chen X, Yang M, Zuo J, Tang Y, Lei C, Li C, Wang H.
J Extracell Vesicles. 2025 Jul;14(7):e70131.
doi: 10.1002/jev2.70131.
PMID: 40704571.
Advances in supported-biomimetic lipid membranes for the study of biomolecular interactions.
Eya BenSalem, Mathilde Manceau, Carole Farre, Chokri Messaoud, Laurène Tétard, Carole Chaix.
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry.
Volume 192, 2025, 118384, ISSN 0165-9936.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2025.118384.
Molecules
Design and Synthesis of Hetero-Bicephalic Detergents for Native Mass Spectrometry of Membrane Proteins.
Chang JY, Azizov D, Shinde VN, Yun SD, Rider RL, Zhu Y, Bahramimoghaddam H, Lynn M, Russell DH, Fang L, Laganowsky A.
J Am Chem Soc. 2025 Jul 25.
doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c10841. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40709568.
Methods
Assessment of methods for evaluating structural stability of cell envelope fragments in hypersaline brines as biosignatures of ancient microbial life.
Bourmancé L, Brûlé S, Raynal B, Kish A.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 6;15(1):28677.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11211-7.
PMID: 40770198.
Microbio
Engineering Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) carrying OmpA from S. Typhimurium for targeted modulation of human B-cell function through AID expression and class switch recombination.
Chaudhari R, Dasgupta M, Nigam D, Kodgire P.
Microb Pathog. 2025 Jul 17:107918.
doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107918. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 40683547.
An inner membrane protein is covalently attached to peptidoglycan in the γ-proteobacterium Dickeya dadantii.
Nicolai X, Liang Y, Ruaudel F, Narajczyk M, Czajkowski R, Rusconi F, Arthur M, Shevchik VE.
Commun Biol. 2025 Jul 18;8(1):1071.
doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-08488-9.
PMID: 40681671.
Miscellaneous
Vaccination with mRNA-encoded membrane-anchored HIV envelope trimers elicited tier 2 neutralizing antibodies in a phase 1 clinical trial.
Parks KR, Moodie Z, Allen MA, Yen C, Furch BD, MacPhee KJ, Ozorowski G, Heptinstall J, Hahn WO, Zheng Z, Lu H, Grant S, Domin E, Duff MO, Seese A, Marini-Macouzet C, Ballweber-Fleming L, Lee WH, Cottrell CA, Liguori A, Georgeson E, Alavi N, Kubitz M, Phelps N, Seaton KE, Cohen KW, Anderson MA, Mondal K, Laufer DS, Kublin JG, Ward AB, Hyrien O, De Rosa SC, Himansu S, Leav B, Reuter C, Tomaras GD, Montefiori D, Walsh SR, Frank I, Sobieszczyk ME, Goepfert PA, Stephenson KE, Baden LR, Van Tieu H, Keefer MC, Clark J, Riddler SA, Schief WR, McElrath MJ.
Sci Transl Med. 2025 Jul 30;17(809):eady6831.
doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ady6831. Epub 2025 Jul 30.
PMID: 40737434.
Two vaccine candidates that use mRNA technology elicit a potent immune response against HIV. These vaccines use mRNA to instruct a cell to make proteins called envelope proteins that are attached to the cell membrane — similar to how they are found in live HIV. In a small trial, some 80% of the participants who received three doses of either of the vaccines went on to produce antibodies that could block that protein from entering cells.
How the brain wakes up from sleep – and produces that morning feeling.
Kavanagh K.
Nature. 2025 Jul 17.
doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-02225-2. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 40676232.
When we wake from the dream-laden phase of sleep, the brain boots up step by step. The first brain regions to rouse are those associated with executive function and decision-making, located at the front of the head. A wave of wakefulness then spreads to the back, ending with an area associated with vision. This precise understanding of how the brain transitions from slumber to alertness could help to manage sleep inertia — the grogginess that many people feel when hitting the snooze button.
Global earthquake detection and warning using Android phones.
Allen RM, Barski A, Berman M, Bosch R, Cho Y, Jiang XS, Lee YL, Malkos S, Mousavi SM, Robertson P, Spooner B, Stogaitis M, Thiruverahan N, Wimpey G.
Science. 2025 Jul 17;389(6757):254-259.
doi: 10.1126/science.ads4779. Epub 2025 Jul 17.
PMID: 40674485.
Between 2021 and 2024, Google harnessed motion sensors on more than two billion smartphones to detect earthquakes, and then sent automated warnings to millions of people in 98 countries. Google scientists say the system performed on par with standard seismometers. “It’s very impressive: most countries don’t have an earthquake early-warning system, and this can help provide that service,” says seismologist Allen Husker. But, Husker says, he would feel better if Google would provide independent scientists with more access to the data and algorithms.
Made-to-order DNA goes big: new tech doubles size of custom genetic sequences.
Seydel C.
Nature. 2025 Jul;643(8073):1146-1147.
doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-02261-y.
PMID: 40696021.
Scientists are perfecting their methods for making industrial volumes of custom DNA — the raw material of synthetic biology. Advances in both enzymatic and chemical synthesis are making it easier to generate highly repetitive or complex sequences. Ultimately this could help tackle a range of challenges, from cleaning up pollutants with designer bacteria to the creation of bespoke gene therapies.
UK Royal Society adopts ‘subscribe to open’ publishing model.
Naddaf M.
Nature. 2025 Aug 6.
doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-02483-0. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 40770554.
The UK Royal Society is converting eight of its ten journals to a ‘subscribe to open’ publishing model from next year. Under the model, article processing charges (APCs) — fees that authors pay to make their papers published open access — will be waived for these journals, and all content published that year will be free to access — as long as enough libraries commit to paying an annual subscription fee. Without sufficient subscriptions for 2026, the Royal Society will continue to offer APCs-based open-access options, and try again in 2027.