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This study shows that adherent cells maintain membrane tension gradients even without moving. Using a fluorescent probe, the authors reveal that actin and adhesion forces shape these gradients, providing a new view of cell mechanics.

Mercier et al. demonstrate a role for endosomal membrane tension in modulating ESCRT-III polymerization, intra-lumenal vesicle formation and endosome trafficking.

Cryo-electron microscopy, in vitro reconstitution and molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into the architecture of a plasma membrane microdomain in yeast, the organization and dynamics of the membrane lipids within this microdomain and how it responds to mechanical stress.

Methylation of CHMP2B regulates abscission timing by modulating ESCRT-III dynamics during cytokinesis. This methylation also plays a role in HIV-1 budding, highlighting the broader significance of ESCRT-III methylation.

Integer topological defects promote cellular self-organization, leading to the formation of complex cellular assemblies that trigger cell differentiation and the formation of swirling cellular pillars once differentiation is inhibited. These findings suggest that integer topological defects are important modulators of cellular differentiation and tissue morphogenesis.

ESCRT-III proteins assemble into ubiquitous membrane-remodeling polymers during many cellular processes. Here, the authors use cryo-ET, cryo-EM and mathematical modeling to reveal how the shape of the helical membrane tube arises from the assembly of two distinct bundles of helical filaments.

Lipid membranes—which separate cells and organelles from their environment—experience tension during various cell processes; however, measuring membrane tension is notoriously difficult. Now, a new fluorescent, mechanosensitive membrane probe called FliptR has been developed. FliptR enables simple, direct membrane tension measurements in cellular and artificial membranes.

Acquired mutations of the gene UBA1 occurring in myeloid cells that result in the expression of impaired isoforms of the enzyme E1 have been described in patients with a severe adult onset auto-inflammatory syndrome called VEXAS. Here the authors profile patients with UBA1 mutations presenting with or without VEXAS disease and show VEXAS disease is characterized by inflammasome activation and monocyte dysregulation.

A relationship between membrane tension and clathrin polymerization during endocytosis has not been experimentally established. Here, the authors show using an in vitroreconstituted system and theoretical modelling that membrane tension regulates clathrin polymerization into spherical cages by varying the membrane budding energy.

Dynamic light microscopy imaging of dynamin-coated lipid tubules revealed a GTP hydrolysis-dependent twisting activity — the constricting activity produced by this twisting led to fission only when coupled to the longitudinal tension of the tubules.

Snf7 is the major component of the ESCRTIII membrane deformation system. Here, the authors used high-speed AFM to study Snf7 on nano-patterned and soft supports and show that loaded Snf7 spiral springs are curvature sensitive and deform membranes.

BIN1/M-Amphiphysin2 is a membrane tubulating protein involved in muscle T-tubule biogenesis and whose loss-of-function is associated with centronuclear myopathies. Picas et al.show that BIN1 enhances the recruitment of its binding partner, dynamin, by clustering PtdIns(4,5)P2 in the plasma membrane.

Using a small-molecule modulator of TORC2 signalling and a mechanosensitive probe, Riggi et al. reveal that decreased plasma membrane tension induces distinct PIP2-enriched domains that sequester and inactivate TORC2.

Gupta et al. show that the membrane repair factor Myoferlin protects against membrane damage of pancreatic cancer lysosomes to sustain enhanced lysosomal function and promote tumour growth.

Mierzwa et al. show that ESCRT-III subunit turnover at the cell midbody is driven by Vps4. Rapid turnover sustains the net growth of ESCRT-III assemblies in the presence of inhibitory Vps2 and Vps24 subunits.

Cytoplasmic flows are essential for various cellular processes. However, tools to manipulate these flows within cells are still lacking. Now research shows that an optical tool allows for control of cytoplasmic flows and can be used as a subcellular rheometer.

A Tutorial review on the measurement of membrane mechanical forces reported via fluorescence lifetime variations induced by conformational changes of the Flipper probes.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is the main mechanism for internalization of cell-surface molecules and surface-bound cargoes. Although the machineries that drive the formation of endocytic vesicle are intricate, an understanding of endocytosis is being unravelled at the molecular level.

Crystal and electron cryo-tomography structures of Mgm1 from Chaetomium thermophilum reveal that Mgm1 forms bent tetramers, which further assemble into helical filaments on both positively and negatively curved membranes.

The lipid content of the plasma membrane is dynamically regulated to maintain cellular homeostasis, but the molecular links between membrane stress and sphingolipid synthesis have remained elusive. Walther, Loewith and colleagues report that membrane stretching causes redistribution of Slm proteins, which then promote sphingolipid synthesis through activation of the TORC2–Ypk signalling pathway.

Structure and function of biological tissues are closely intertwined. This Review surveys the challenges in uncovering critical physical elements involved in the mechanical regulation of curved tissues across different length scales and examines how changes in curvature influence cell functions.