MP

Cryo-EM reveals the structural heterogeneity and conformational flexibility of multidrug efflux pumps MdtB and MdtF.

Padmanaban S, Rencilin CF, Biswas R, Dutta S.

mBio. 2025 Dec 10:e0268425. 

doi: 10.1128/mbio.02684-25. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 41370088. 

cryo-EM to capture multiple conformational states of MdtB and MdtF

=> structural flexibility enables the transport of diverse substrates + key regions within the transporter that undergo conformational changes during the transport cycle.

Cryo-EM structures of a MexB-MexY chimeric efflux pump reveal that large open clefts are intrinsic to the MexY porter domain.

Wang J, Tsutsumi K, Hirose M, Nakashima R, Kato T, Nishino K, Nakagawa A, Yamashita E.

Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun. 2026 Mar 1;82(Pt 3):83-93. 

doi: 10.1107/S2053230X26001202. Epub 2026 Feb 26.

PMID: 41744473.  

MexB-MexY chimeric efflux pump => model to study their structural and functional properties. 

Here : cryo-EM structures of the chimeric pump => large open clefts in the MexY porter domain that are intrinsic to its architecture. 

These clefts facilitate substrate binding and translocation => structural basis for the pump’s broad substrate specificity.

Cryo-EM structure of the QseG-QseE complex reveals an accessory protein-driven two-component system activation mechanism.

Gong P, Li G, Li W, Xu M, Jiao X, Chen X, Gao B, Gao X.

mBio. 2025 Dec 10;16(12):e0286425. 

doi: 10.1128/mbio.02864-25. Epub 2025 Nov 17.

PMID: 41247015. 

QseG-QseE TCS in bacteria regulates virulence and stress responses, but its activation mechanism is unclear. 

Here : cryo-EM structure of the QseG-QseE complex => accessory protein QseG facilitates the activation of the QseE response regulator. 

Molecular interactions that stabilize the complex, enabling signal transduction and gene regulation.

Structural characterisation of the fungal Pmt4 homodimer.

McDowell MA, Wild K, Fiorentino F, Bausewein D, Metschies A, Chiapparino A, Hackmann Y, Bilsing FL, Brenske D, Mortensen S, Wu D, Robinson CV, Strahl S, Sinning I.

Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 14. 

doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67412-1. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 41392315.

Pmt4 = fungal protein O-mannosyltransferase involved in protein glycosylation (essential for cell wall integrity and virulence). 

Here : structural characterization of the Pmt4 homodimer.

=> architecture supports substrate recognition and catalytic activity.

The Correlation between Binding and Transport of a Siderophore Complex through Its TonB-Dependent Transporter.

Matteo Ceccarelli, Aravind Selvaram Thirunavukarasu, Stefan Milenkovic

ACS Omega 2026, XXXX, XXX, XXX-XXX

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c10450

Published March 2, 2026.

The “Trojan Horse” strategy exploits bacterial iron uptake systems to deliver antibiotics. 

Here : investigation of the transport of the Fe³⁺-enterobactin complex through the P. aeruginosa transporter PfeA, using modeling techniques to reconstruct the translocation pathway. 

=> first binding site initiates signal propagation, the second site facilitates ligand migration by destabilizing plug-barrel interactions. 

Structural basis and pathological implications of the dimeric OS9-SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD Core Complex.

Lin LL, Maldosevic E, Zhou LE, Jomaa A, Qi L.

Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 27;17(1):2064. 

doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-68777-7.

PMID: 41593065.    

OS9-SEL1L-HRD1 complex = core component of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, which targets misfolded proteins for degradation. 

Here : structural basis of the dimeric OS9-SEL1L-HRD1 complex. 

=> pathological implications of mutations in this complex, linking them to diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer. 

Investigating the electrostatics underlying activation of the β2 adrenergic receptor.

Montgomery JM, Lemkul JA.

Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 2026 Apr;1868(2):184503. 

doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2026.184503. Epub 2026 Jan 16.

PMID: 41546993.

β2AR activation is influenced by electrostatic interactions. 

Here : how electrostatics govern β2AR activation, using MD to map the electrostatic landscape of the receptor. 

=> specific charged residues play a critical role in stabilizing the active conformation, facilitating ligand binding and signal transduction.

Tailored for swift recognition: A structural perspective on secondary active plant hormone transporters.

Amsinck BL, Benhammouche I, Chrenková A, Snow AJD, Pedersen BP.

Plant J. 2026 Mar;125(5):e70762. 

doi: 10.1111/tpj.70762.

PMID: 41782269.

Structural perspective on plant hormone transporters, revealing how their architecture is tailored for hormone recognition. 

cryo-EM and functional assays => molecular interactions that enable rapid transport, highlighting adaptations that distinguish plant transporters from mammalian transporters.

Cryo-EM of endogenous membrane proteins in their native lipid bilayer.

Rubinstein JL.

Q Rev Biophys. 2026 Mar 6;59:e3. 

doi: 10.1017/S0033583526100109.

PMID: 41789471.

Review on advancements in cryo-EM techniques for studying endogenous MPs within their native lipid bilayers. 

Rapsyn-acetylcholine receptor interactions: structural models inform mechanisms of clustering at the neuromuscular junction.

Habes M, Hénault CM, Baenziger JE.

Biophys Rev. 2025 Dec 6;17(6):1749-1762. 

doi: 10.1007/s12551-025-01386-8. eCollection 2025 Dec.

PMID: 41788248.

 Rapsyn = scaffolding protein that clusters AChRs at the neuromuscular junction, ensuring efficient synaptic transmission. 

=> structural models of rapsyn-AChR interactions, revealing how rapsyn’s modular architecture facilitates receptor clustering and stabilization (computational modeling and experimental validation).

Engineering and characterization of small-molecule transporters for cell factories.

Zhang Y, Kell DB, Borodina I.

Trends Biotechnol. 2025 Dec 18:S0167-7799(25)00493-7. 

doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.11.019. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 41419347.

Review discussing recent advances in engineering transporters for biotechnological applications (strategies to enhance substrate specificity, transport efficiency, and compatibility with industrial processes). 

Examples of transporters optimized for the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

The TIM22 carrier translocase supports cell proliferation by facilitating mitochondrial iron uptake for Fe-S biogenesis.

Liu S, Li Q, Cao M, Zhao ZB, Liu C, Zhen Z, Ren J, Liu C, Ruan D, Zhang L, Zhang W, Gong H, Liu X, Zhang X, Pan D, Pan W, Zhu J.

Mol Cell. 2025 Dec 18;85(24):4587-4601.e7. 

doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.022.

PMID: 41418755.

TIM22 carrier translocase is essential for inserting carrier proteins into the mito IM. 

Here : TIM22 facilitates mitochondrial iron uptake, supporting Fe-S cluster assembly and cell proliferation (genetic, biochemical, and imaging approaches to demonstrate how TIM22 dysfunction impairs Fe-S biogenesis, leading to metabolic defects).

Membranes

Understanding, mimicking, and exploiting lipid membrane fusion in biomedicine and synthetic biology. 

Leonardini, B., Accorsi, M., Dimova, R., Relini, A., Rossi, G., & Canepa, E. (2026).

Advances in Physics: X, 11(1). 

https://doi.org/10.1080/23746149.2026.2636806.

Review exploring the physical principles underlying membrane fusion, highlighting how these processes can be mimicked and exploited for drug delivery, biosensing, and synthetic cell engineering : advances in lipid composition, fusion triggers, and membrane mechanics that enable controlled fusion events.

From molecular dynamics to cryo-EM: Imaging liposomes in silico. 

Sharma K, Heberle FA, Doktorova M.

Methods Enzymol. 2026;727:291-319. 

doi: 10.1016/bs.mie.2026.01.022. Epub 2026 Feb 4. 

PMID: 41765595.

MD and cryo-EM to provide a comprehensive view of liposome structure and behavior.

Authors show how in silico imaging can complement experimental techniques, revealing details of lipid organization, membrane curvature, and protein-lipid interactions. 

Giant unilamellar vesicles as a model system for studying ion transport.

Fletcher M, Elani Y, Keyser UF, Tivony R.

Biophys Rev. 2025 Aug 9;17(4):1105-1118. 

doi: 10.1007/s12551-025-01342-6. eCollection 2025 Aug.

PMID: 41378111.

Review on the use of GUVs to investigate ion channels, transporters, and pumps (advantages for single-molecule and ensemble measurements). 

The lipid partners of plant membrane transporters in salinity stress response.

Bhatnagar T, Banik S, Sinha K, Joshi P, Ishita, Majumdar S, Singh N, Bhunia RK, Dutta D.

Plant Physiol Biochem. 2025 Dec;229(Pt B):110437. 

doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.110437. Epub 2025 Aug 26.

PMID: 40884967.   

Plant membrane transporters play a critical role in salinity stress responses. 

Here : study investigating how lipid partners influence the function and regulation of transporters under salt stress, using lipidomics, proteomics, and functional assays. 

Influence of Substrate on Supported Lipid Bilayers: Membrane Adhesion, Stretching, Pores, and Remodeling. 

Lira RB, Roos WH.

Langmuir. 2026 Mar 3;42(8):5985-5999. 

doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04124. Epub 2026 Feb 19. 

PMID: 41713858.

SLBs are widely used as model membranes, but their properties are strongly influenced by the substrate. 

Here : substrate interactions affect membrane adhesion, stretching, pore formation, and remodeling in SLBs (combination of imaging and biophysical techniques). 

Model for electrocurvature phase transitions in lipid bilayers driven by flip-flop asymmetry. 

Djibaoui AM, Bouzerar R, Guedda M.

Phys Rev E. 2025 Dec;112(6-1):064402. 

doi: 10.1103/gjc6-tnp1. 

PMID: 41560225.

Lipid bilayers can undergo phase transitions driven by asymmetric lipid distribution. 

Here : model for electrocurvature phase transitions in lipid bilayers, focusing on the role of flip-flop asymmetry in inducing membrane curvature and instability (theoretical and computational approaches).

Molecules

MAASTY: a (dis)ordered copolymer for structural determination of human membrane proteins in native nanodiscs.

Pugh CF, Feilen LP, Živković D, Præstegaard KF, Sideris C, Borthwick NJ, de Lichtenberg C, Bolla JR, Autzen AAA, Autzen HE.

Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 10. 

doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-66208-7. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 41372170.

MAASTY = disordered copolymer that stabilizes MPs in native NDs. 

Here : how MAASTY improves the homogeneity and stability of ND-embedded proteins, facilitating cryo-EM and NMR studies. 

Optical control of carrier-mediated ion transport by photoswitchable lipids.

Pfeffermann J, Yadav R, Glasnov T, Thorn-Seshold O, Pohl P.

Nanoscale. 2025 Dec 10. 

doi: 10.1039/d5nr04234h. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 41370087.    

Photoswitchable lipids : powerful tool for optically controlling ion transport across membranes, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulation of cellular processes. 

Here : how carrier-mediated ion transport can be modulated using photoswitchable lipids (reversible conformational changes upon light exposure). 

This approach allows for dynamic control of ion flux => insights into transport mechanisms and potential applications in synthetic biology. 

Chemical Biology Drives Membrane-Curvature-Sensing Peptide Probes for Extracellular Vesicle Capture and Applications.

Sun G, Yin H.

Biochemistry. 2026 Mar 3;65(5):505-516. 

doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5c00700. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

PMID: 41530083.

Membrane-curvature-sensing peptides = tools for capturing and studying EVs => key roles in intercellular communication and disease. 

These probes can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic applications => specificity and versatility.

Methods

Towards a perfusion system for functional study of membrane proteins with independent control of the electrical and chemical transmembrane potential.

Coculova Z, Berry RM.

Biophys Rev. 2025 Jul 29;17(4):1133-1141. 

doi: 10.1007/s12551-025-01344-4. eCollection 2025 Aug.

PMID: 41378107.

Perfusion system designed for functional studies of membrane proteins, allowing independent manipulation of transmembrane potentials. 

=> this system enables real-time measurements of transport activity, ion channel gating, and protein-lipid interactions.

Microbio

Loss of the ferripyochelin receptor FptA drives reduced cefiderocol susceptibility and impairs fitness in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14.

Kang D, Baptista RP, Drusin SI, Moreno DM, Arias CA, Miller WR.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2026 Mar 4;70(3):e0141025. 

doi: 10.1128/aac.01410-25. Epub 2026 Feb 12.

PMID: 41677279.

FptA (ferripyochelin receptor in P. aeruginosa, is involved in iron acquisition. 

Here : loss of FptA reduces susceptibility to cefiderocol, a siderophore-conjugated antibiotic, while impairing bacterial fitness. 

Genetic and phenotypic analyses => how FptA influences iron uptake and antibiotic resistance mechanisms.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa tRNA nucleotidyltransferase Cca controls resistance and tolerance to aminoglycoside antibiotics by regulating the MexXY multidrug efflux pump. 

Shen C, Wang L, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Cheng Z, Wu W, Ha U-H, Jin S, Jin Y.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2026 Mar 3:e0165325. 

doi: 10.1128/aac.01653-25. Epub ahead of print. 

PMID: 41773979.  

Here : Cca (tRNA nucleotidyltransferase in P. aeruginosa = role in tRNA maturation) regulates the expression of MexXY (genetic, biochemical, and transcriptomic approaches).

Strain-dependent contribution of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump to Klebsiella pneumoniae physiology.

Bhogal K, Clough B, Emmerson C, Organ A, Chen Y, Buckner MM, Alav I.

Microbiology (Reading). 2025 Dec;171(12). 

doi: 10.1099/mic.0.001647.

PMID: 41416578.

Physiological roles of AcrAB-TolC vary across strains. 

Here : strain-dependent contributions of AcrAB-TolC to K. pneumoniae physiology, including antibiotic resistance, virulence, and stress responses.

=> comparative genomics and phenotypic assays to elucidate how genetic diversity influences pump activity and bacterial fitness. 

Beyond antibiotic resistance: evidence for resistance-nodulation-division (RND) efflux pumps as virulence determinants.

Detweiler CS, Alav I.

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2025 Dec 18;89(4):e0027824. 

doi: 10.1128/mmbr.00278-24. Epub 2025 Nov 20.

PMID: 41263575.

Review how RND pumps function as virulence determinants, facilitating host colonization, immune evasion, and toxin secretion. The authors discuss how these pumps integrate into broader virulence networks.

Miscellaneous

New theory of why ice is slippery

https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-is-ice-slippery-a-new-hypothesis-slides-into-the-chat-20251208/ 

Slipperiness of ice = liquid-like layers ? pressure melting ? friction heating ? 

Here : new hypothesis suggesting that ice’s slipperiness = dynamic rearrangement of hydrogen bonds at the surface, creating a quasi-liquid layer even at subzero temperatures (MD + experimental observations). 

Direct detection of an asteroid’s heliocentric deflection: The Didymos system after DART. 

Makadia R, Chesley SR, Herald D, Farnocchia D, Chabot NL, Naidu SP, Rivkin AS, Siakas A, Souami D, Tanga P, Tsavdaridis S, Tsiganis K, Bouquillon S, Eggl S.

Sci Adv. 2026 Mar 6;12(10):eaea4259. 

doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aea4259. Epub 2026 Mar 6. 

PMID: 41790871.

First direct measurement of the Didymos system’s orbital deflection following the DART impact, using high-precision astrometry and dynamical modeling. 

Deflection aligns with predictions, validating the mission’s success and informing future planetary defense strategies.

Are we living in a parallel universe? The strange physics of Stranger Things. 

Ahart J.

Nature. 2025 Dec 19. 

doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-04088-z. Epub ahead of print. 

PMID: 41419671.

The concept of parallel universes has captivated both scientists and the public, often explored in popular culture like Stranger Things. 

Here : real-world physics behind parallel universes, discussing theories such as the multiverse, quantum decoherence, and many-worlds interpretation. 

Identical twins on trial: can DNA testing tell them apart? 

Fieldhouse R.

Nature. 2026 Mar 5. 

doi: 10.1038/d41586-026-00521-z. Epub ahead of print. 

PMID: 41787097.

Identical twins share nearly identical DNA => challenge for forensic DNA testing in legal cases. 

Here : emerging techniques, such as ultra-deep sequencing and epigenetic analysis to distinguish between identical twins for forensic purposes. 

=> scientific, ethical, and legal implications of these methods => potential to improve justice while raising concerns about privacy and accuracy.

Supporting young life scientists worldwide through the IUBMB Trainee Initiative.

Ahmed S, Penndorf P.

Trends Biochem Sci. 2026 Mar;51(3):209-212. 

doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2026.01.001.

PMID: 41795450.