Breaking timescales with generative sampling of conformational transitions.
PMID: 42717085.
Generative sampling to tackle the long-timescale problem in MD (conformational transitions in biomolecules).
=> enables atomic-level exploration of processes previously inaccessible to direct simulation.
=> simulating large-scale conformational changes in MPs.
Inhibition of PTCH1 drug efflux activity enhances chemotherapy efficacy against triple negative breast cancers.
PMID: 42001685
PTCH1 identified as a drug efflux pump contributing to chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Inhibition of PTCH1 efflux activity => enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy in preclinical models.
TOMM40/FADS2 Expression Ratio Predicts the Sensitivity to mTOR Inhibitors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
PMID: 42470318.
TOMM40/FADS2 expression ratio = biomarker for predicting sensitivity to mTOR inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Validation in clinical and cell line data demonstrates its predictive power for guiding therapy.
=> precision oncology approach for TNBC, a particularly aggressive and hard-to-treat cancer.
Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences indicates a central role of transmembrane domain structural elements in MHC class II function.
PMID: 42497422
Phylogenetic analysis across MHC class II molecules => structural elements in the transmembrane domain as central to antigen presentation function.
Correlates sequence variations with functional differences in immune responses. Emphasize the evolutionary importance of transmembrane domains in adaptive immunity.
The SepN-FraD structural module serves as an anchor and assembly platform for septal junctions in cyanobacteria.
PMID: 42424141
SepN-FraD identified as a structural platform anchoring and organizing septal junctions in cyanobacteria.
Conformational hijacking of lipoprotein transporter LolDF enables precision antimicrobial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii.
PMID: 42436156.
Structural and functional studies => how a small molecule binds to LolDF, locking it in a conformation that disrupts lipoprotein trafficking => cell death in Acinetobacter baumannii.
Cryo-EM structures of the SurA-BAM complex reveal conformational changes in outer membrane protein assembly.
PMID: 42697891.
Cryo-EM => multiple conformations of the SurA-BAM complex : shows how the chaperone SurA delivers OMPs to the BAM complex and induces conformational changes to facilitate insertion.
Mechanistic insights into TAM-mediated OMP assembly in Gram-negative bacteria.
PMID: 42507553
Structural and functional analyses => a chaperone-like mechanism that complements the BAM complex in OMP biogenesis.
Pseudogenization of the cntQ permease confers distinct yersinopine-metal uptake selectivity in Yersinia species.
PMID: 42126810.
Comparative genomics + transport assays => pseudogenization (evolutionary adaptation) of cntQ in Yersinia alters the specificity of yersinopine-metal uptake.
=> enables selective acquisition of iron and other essential metals => fitness advantage.
Numerical simulation of mitochondrial systems for ATP generation and membrane transport.
PMID: 42477370
Numerical simulations model the coupling between ATP generation and membrane transport in mitochondria.
Quantifies how oxidative phosphorylation is integrated with metabolite transport across mitochondrial membranes.
Structural basis of signal peptide recognition by the signal peptidase complex.
PMID: 42173868.
Cryo-EM structures => how the signal peptidase complex recognizes and cleaves signal peptides during co-translational protein translocation : molecular basis for discrimination between signal peptides and mature proteins.
Conformational plasticity of human acid-sensing ion channel 1a.
PMID: 42463865
Cryo-EM + electrophysiology => conformational plasticity of human ASIC1a (proton-gated ion channel involved in pain perception and synaptic plasticity).
Multiple conformations => dynamic nature of its pH-dependent gating.
=> explain the molecular basis of ASIC1a’s role in sensory transduction and neurological disorders.
Structural studies and functional engineering of NanX: an anhydro-sialic acid transporter from Escherichia coli.
PMID: 42444398
Structures of NanX (anhydro-sialic acid transporter) + functional engineering to elucidate transport mechanism.
=> rational design of modified transporters with altered specificity : enables engineering of bacterial transporters for biotechnological applications.
High resolution cryo-EM structure of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa OprM multidrug efflux pump provides target for rational inhibitor design.
PMID: 42440500
A high-resolution cryo-EM structure of the P. aeruginosa OprM efflux pump.
=> potential binding sites for inhibitors.
Identification of a membrane transporter for dimethylsulfoniopropionate uptake in marine eukaryotic phytoplankton.
PMID: 42702628.
A MP transporter for dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) uptake identified in marine eukaryotic phytoplankton using genomics and functional assays.
DMSP = key osmolyte and precursor for climate-relevant sulfur gases.
Capturing transient states of heterodimeric ABC transporter TM287/288 by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering.
PMID: 42001237
Time-resolved SAXS => transient states of the heterodimeric ABC transporter TM287/288 : conformational changes during the ATP-driven transport cycle.
The study visualizes the alternating access mechanism, with intermediates providing insights into substrate translocation.
Structural basis of lipid-linked galactan export by the mycobacterial ABC transporter Wzm-Wzt.
PMID: 41839883
Cryo-EM structures Wzm-Wzt (mycobacterial ABC transporter) => how it recognizes and translocates lipid-linked galactan precursors across the membrane, a critical step in mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis.
Computational screening of antimicrobial peptide analogs targeting AdeB efflux transporter protein in Acinetobacter baumannii associated with multidrug resistance.
PMID: 42331919
Virtual screening of peptide libraries => identification of analogs that bind to the periplasmic domain of the AdeB efflux transporter in A. baumannii.
The most promising candidates inhibit efflux activity and potentiate antibiotic activity.
The toxicity of 6:2 diPAP to E. coli K12 is regulated by the acrB efflux pump.
PMID: 42700520.
AcrB mediates the export of 6:2 diPAP, a perfluoroalkyl substance, reducing its intracellular concentration and toxicity in E. coli K12.
Membrane
An On-Demand Nanodisc Platform for Reconstitution of Functional Membrane Proteins into Model and Living Membranes.
doi:10.64898/2026.08.17.745191
Production of membrane-embedded Bcl-2 proteins – Use of cell-free synthesis in continuous exchange for co-translational insertion of Bcl-2 proteins in lipid bilayer nanodiscs.
doi:10.64898/2026.08.15.745005
A cell-free synthesis system used for co-translational insertion of Bcl-2 proteins into lipid bilayer NDs.
=> enables production of membrane-embedded Bcl-2 family proteins in their native environment, bypassing the challenges of traditional expression systems.
Protein-Protein Interactions Between Peptidoglycan, Lipopolysaccharide, and Phospholipid Biosynthesis Enzymes in Escherichia coli.
PMID: 42604454.
Protein-protein interactions between enzymes involved in PG, LPS, and PL biosynthesis in E. coli are systematically mapped.
Bacteria synthesize a bacteriocin within the cell membrane.
PMID: 42720351.
A novel mechanism where bacteria synthesize a bacteriocin within the cell membrane, rather than secreting it extracellularly ! The membrane environment enhances bacteriocin stability and antimicrobial activity.
Bilayer Elastic Properties Modulate Interface Energetics of Transmembrane β-Barrels.
PMID: 42610736.
Computational and experimental approaches => how bilayer elastic properties modulate the interface energetics of TM β-barrel proteins.
=> membrane mechanical properties significantly affect protein-lipid interactions and stability.
Probing protein-lipid interactions by hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry: advances, challenges and future directions.
PMID: 42609751.
Review discussing advances in using HDX-MS to probe protein-lipid interactions. => HDX-MS can reveal lipid binding sites, conformational changes, and dynamics of MPs. Current limitations and future directions for improving the methodology are also addressed.
Quorum sensing rewires membrane vesicle protein cargo to promote antibiotic persistence in Streptococcus mutans.
PMID: 42447300.
QS regulates the protein cargo of membrane vesicles in S. mutans, promoting antibiotic persistence.
=> identification of specific proteins whose packaging into vesicles is modulated by QS, enhancing bacterial survival during antibiotic treatment.
Membrane Anisotropy Reshapes Scale-Free Correlations and Directional Mechanical Susceptibility in Transmembrane Proteins.
doi:10.64898/2026.08.20.745933.
Theory and computation => membrane anisotropy reshapes scale-free correlations and directional mechanical susceptibility in TM proteins.
Insights into the physical principles governing membrane protein behavior in complex cellular environments.
Membrane Proteins at Scale: Automated Copolymer Nanodisc Purification for Structure and Function
doi:10.1101/2025.09.05.674548
An automated copolymer ND purification system developed for HT structure and function studies of MPs : rapid, reproducible, and scalable production of NDs containing various MPs.
Building a Simplistic Automatic Extruder: Instrument Development Opportunities for the Laboratory.
PMID: 39157436.
A simplistic DIY automatic extruder developed for laboratory use, providing an affordable and accessible instrument for extrusion-based experiments (
).
=> uses 3D-printed parts and readily available components, making it suitable for educational and research settings.
Probing the proteome at cellular scale
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02805-w
Single-cell proteomics = emerging powerful tool for understanding cellular heterogeneity and the molecular basis of complex biological processes.
Here, recent breakthroughs and their implications for biology and medicine : single-cell proteomics uncovers cellular heterogeneity and disease mechanisms.
Quantitative assessment of porin-mediated solute transport in biomimetic membranes.
PMID: 41420067
A quantitative method for assessing porin-mediated solute transport in biomimetic membranes.
=> allows precise measurement of transport rates and selectivity for different solutes across porin-containing lipid bilayers.
Evaluation of phytochemical-mediated inhibition of the efflux pump in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.
PMID: 42663771.
Phytochemical-mediated inhibition of the EP in P. aeruginosa PAO1 evaluated through screening of natural compounds.
Several phytochemicals are identified as potent efflux pump inhibitors that enhance antibiotic susceptibility.
Minimal organism JCVI-syn3.0, an engineered derivative of Mycoplasma mycoides, encodes an assortment of unrecognized membrane transporters and immunity factors.
PMID: 42663467.
The minimal organism JCVI-syn3.0, derived from Mycoplasma mycoides, encodes an assortment of previously unrecognized membrane transporters and immunity factors despite its reduced genome.
=> Insights into the essential transport functions required for cellular life : even minimal genomes retain diverse and sophisticated membrane transport systems.
Chloramphenicol stress triggers oxidative adaptation in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC19606 devoid of RND efflux pumps AdeAB or AdeIJ.
PMID: 42690054.
Chloramphenicol stress => oxidative adaptation in A. baumannii strains lacking the RND efflux pumps AdeAB or AdeIJ.
Here, mechanism where antibiotic stress triggers oxidative stress responses, contributing to antibiotic persistence.
Acquisition and Transmission of tmexCD1-toprJ1-Positive Plasmids in Clinical ST17 Klebsiella pneumoniae.
PMID: 41466764.
The acquisition and transmission of tmexCD1-toprJ1-positive plasmids in clinical ST17 K. pneumoniae is tracked.
=> horizontal gene transfer of these resistance plasmids among clinical isolates.
The Resistance-Nodulation-Division efflux pump EefABC is highly conserved within lineages of E. coli commonly associated with infection.
PMID: 41521891.
The RND EP EefABC is highly conserved in E. coli lineages associated with infection.
Phylogenetic analysis => distribution among pathogenic strains, suggesting a role in virulence and antibiotic resistance.
An operational perturbation proteomics-based virtual cell model.
PMID: 42717098.
A prototype tool called ProteinTalks can predict how the cells in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumours will respond to various drugs.
Researchers trained the computational simulation on millions of protein measurements collected over time from breast cancer cell lines that were treated with dozens of antitumour drugs and drug combinations. The model did a good job of predicting how cells would respond to drugs it hadn’t seen before and real-world clinical outcomes.
Immune therapy engineered inside the body eases multiple sclerosis.
PMID: 42693279.
Ig Nobel Prizes 2026
A comparative approach to the evolution of kissing.
PMID: 42306775.
Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior.
PMID: 22371585.
Structure of a heterogeneous, glycosylated, lipid-bound, in vivo-grown protein crystal at atomic resolution from the viviparous cockroach Diploptera punctata.
PMID: 27437115.
How to blow the nose–an aerodynamic study of the nose blowing
PMID: 557536.
Study of defensive behavior of a venomous snake as a new approach to understand snakebite.
PMID: 38702318.
Retraction of: Scientific Reports published online 03 May 2024
The Editors have retracted this Article.
After publication, concerns were raised about the animal work reported in this paper. The Animal Ethics Committee of Butantan Institute confirmed that the approval granted to the Authors for their research on snakes (Bothrops jararaca) did not include newborn snakes or the use of the “soft stepping” method.
Splash-free urinals for global sustainability and accessibility: Design through physics and differential equations.
PMID: 40201236.
3D necroprinting: Leveraging biotic material as the nozzle for 3D printing.
PMID: 41259509.
Babies Smell Wonderful to Their Parents, Teenagers Do Not: an Exploratory Questionnaire Study on Children’s Age and Personal Odor Ratings in a Polish Sample.
PMID: 28932343.
)Friendship jealousy: One tool for maintaining friendships in the face of third-party threats?
PMID: 32772531.
Assessing soil health with underpants.
PMID: 40014699.