Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.014
Wenqiang Zheng, Tatsuya Hagino, Hao Wang, Henry Yi Cheng, Nicholas Koylass, Kevin Hong Chen, Haobo Wang, Sepehr Mani, Anish Kumar Mondal, Edward C. Twomey, Zhaozhu Qiu
Volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) are large-pore channels expressed in most vertebrate cells and are critical for cell volume regulation and autocrine/paracrine signaling. Here, we identify the ubiquitously expressed puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA) as a binding partner of the obligatory VRAC subunit SWELL1 (also known as LRRC8A) and determine the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SWELL1-PSA complex. Three PSA molecules bind a single SWELL1 hexamer, coupling adjacent leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains into local dimers. Functionally, PSA overexpression suppresses VRAC activation, whereas PSA deletion dramatically elevates basal channel activity. Notably, PSA’s modulation of VRACs requires physical binding but not aminopeptidase activity, indicating a structural mechanism. Our findings identify PSA as an auxiliary subunit of VRACs, highlight the role of intracellular LRR domains in allosteric channel gating, and suggest a strategy to tune VRAC function in diverse physiological contexts, including 2′3′-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) transport and downstream stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling.
{"title":"Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase acts as an inhibitory auxiliary subunit of volume-regulated anion channels and regulates cGAMP transport","authors":"Wenqiang Zheng, Tatsuya Hagino, Hao Wang, Henry Yi Cheng, Nicholas Koylass, Kevin Hong Chen, Haobo Wang, Sepehr Mani, Anish Kumar Mondal, Edward C. Twomey, Zhaozhu Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.014","url":null,"abstract":"Volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) are large-pore channels expressed in most vertebrate cells and are critical for cell volume regulation and autocrine/paracrine signaling. Here, we identify the ubiquitously expressed puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA) as a binding partner of the obligatory VRAC subunit SWELL1 (also known as LRRC8A) and determine the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SWELL1-PSA complex. Three PSA molecules bind a single SWELL1 hexamer, coupling adjacent leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains into local dimers. Functionally, PSA overexpression suppresses VRAC activation, whereas PSA deletion dramatically elevates basal channel activity. Notably, PSA’s modulation of VRACs requires physical binding but not aminopeptidase activity, indicating a structural mechanism. Our findings identify PSA as an auxiliary subunit of VRACs, highlight the role of intracellular LRR domains in allosteric channel gating, and suggest a strategy to tune VRAC function in diverse physiological contexts, including 2′3′-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) transport and downstream stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145710971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.015
Kailey Worner, Katharine R. Maschhoff, Gabrielle M. Schuh, Wenqian Hu
Controlling mRNA translation is critical for proper protein production. Although translation initiation and elongation regulations are becoming increasingly clear, whether and how translation termination is monitored remains poorly understood. Using an acute protein degradation system coupled with phenotypic rescue via ectopic expression, here we show that the impaired translation termination reaction leads to the rapid activation of GCN2, resulting in eIF2α phosphorylation and inhibition of translation initiation, which occurs prior to ribosome collisions. Ribosome profiling analyses reveal that GCN2 monitors terminating ribosomes and prevents ribosome collisions and translation readthrough when translation termination is compromised. This rapid activation of GCN2 by compromised translation termination occurs in both stem and somatic cells and in mouse and human cells. These results suggest a conserved surveillance mechanism for translation termination.
{"title":"GCN2 monitors mRNA translation termination","authors":"Kailey Worner, Katharine R. Maschhoff, Gabrielle M. Schuh, Wenqian Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.015","url":null,"abstract":"Controlling mRNA translation is critical for proper protein production. Although translation initiation and elongation regulations are becoming increasingly clear, whether and how translation termination is monitored remains poorly understood. Using an acute protein degradation system coupled with phenotypic rescue via ectopic expression, here we show that the impaired translation termination reaction leads to the rapid activation of GCN2, resulting in eIF2α phosphorylation and inhibition of translation initiation, which occurs prior to ribosome collisions. Ribosome profiling analyses reveal that GCN2 monitors terminating ribosomes and prevents ribosome collisions and translation readthrough when translation termination is compromised. This rapid activation of GCN2 by compromised translation termination occurs in both stem and somatic cells and in mouse and human cells. These results suggest a conserved surveillance mechanism for translation termination.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145704488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.007
Meichen Wang, Hai-Qiang Dai
Conventional methods have failed to simultaneously integrate one-dimensional transcriptional studies with three-dimensional chromatin architecture. In this issue, Li et al.1 present Hi-Coatis, an antibody- and probe-free approach that seamlessly maps active transcription-associated chromatin networks with high sensitivity and spatial resolution.
{"title":"Hi-Coatis: Capturing the 3D interplay between transcription and chromatin architecture","authors":"Meichen Wang, Hai-Qiang Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.007","url":null,"abstract":"Conventional methods have failed to simultaneously integrate one-dimensional transcriptional studies with three-dimensional chromatin architecture. In this issue, Li et al.<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> present Hi-Coatis, an antibody- and probe-free approach that seamlessly maps active transcription-associated chromatin networks with high sensitivity and spatial resolution.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145673649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.001
Roman Barth, Richard Janissen, Laura Muras, Jaco van der Torre, Gabriele Litos, Eli van der Sluis, Ashmiani van den Berg, Iain F. Davidson, Jan-Michael Peters, Cees Dekker
Human cohesin extrudes DNA into loops and is positioned along the genome by stalling at the human CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) upon encountering its N-terminal region (NTR). The mechanism underlying this stalling, however, is unresolved. Using single-molecule assays that monitor DNA loop extrusion (LE) in the presence of NTR fragments, we identify two amino acid motifs, YDF and KTYQR, which hinder LE. KTYQR is found to completely block LE activity, while YDF hinders cohesin from completing LE step cycles and converts cohesin into a unidirectional extruder by strengthening the affinity of STAG1 to DNA. We thus identify two distinct NTR motifs that stall LE via different yet synergistic mechanisms, highlighting the multifaceted ways employed by CTCF to modulate LE to shape and regulate genomes.
{"title":"Two CTCF motifs impede cohesin-mediated DNA loop extrusion","authors":"Roman Barth, Richard Janissen, Laura Muras, Jaco van der Torre, Gabriele Litos, Eli van der Sluis, Ashmiani van den Berg, Iain F. Davidson, Jan-Michael Peters, Cees Dekker","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"Human cohesin extrudes DNA into loops and is positioned along the genome by stalling at the human CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) upon encountering its N-terminal region (NTR). The mechanism underlying this stalling, however, is unresolved. Using single-molecule assays that monitor DNA loop extrusion (LE) in the presence of NTR fragments, we identify two amino acid motifs, YDF and KTYQR, which hinder LE. KTYQR is found to completely block LE activity, while YDF hinders cohesin from completing LE step cycles and converts cohesin into a unidirectional extruder by strengthening the affinity of STAG1 to DNA. We thus identify two distinct NTR motifs that stall LE via different yet synergistic mechanisms, highlighting the multifaceted ways employed by CTCF to modulate LE to shape and regulate genomes.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145673651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.005
Anouk P Jurgens, Josephine Zwijnen, Antonia Bradarić, Floris P J van Alphen, Kaspar Bresser, Koos Rooijers, Arie J Hoogendijk, Branka Popović, Monika C Wolkers
T cells are key contributors to clearing our body of infected and malignant cells. During activation, T cells undergo profound translational alterations, and the evolutionarily and highly conserved kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is central in this process. It mediates T cell differentiation, homeostasis, and activation and promotes the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. mTOR executes its translation activity through terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) motifs located in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of target genes. Here, we uncovered a distinct 3' UTR-mediated mechanism of mTOR signaling on cytokine production in T cells. Non-classical TOP motifs present in the cytokine 3' UTRs do not contribute to mTOR-mediated translation regulation. Rather, AU-rich elements (AREs) are required for mTOR-mediated cytokine production. Furthermore, we discovered that the RNA-binding protein DDX21 binds to 3' UTR AREs and confers mTOR-mediated translation control. In conclusion, we present a previously unappreciated ARE-dependent, 3' UTR-mediated mechanism that mTOR employs to regulate cytokine production.
{"title":"mTOR signaling during T cell activation promotes cytokine production in T cells through 3' UTR-mediated translation control.","authors":"Anouk P Jurgens, Josephine Zwijnen, Antonia Bradarić, Floris P J van Alphen, Kaspar Bresser, Koos Rooijers, Arie J Hoogendijk, Branka Popović, Monika C Wolkers","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>T cells are key contributors to clearing our body of infected and malignant cells. During activation, T cells undergo profound translational alterations, and the evolutionarily and highly conserved kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is central in this process. It mediates T cell differentiation, homeostasis, and activation and promotes the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. mTOR executes its translation activity through terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) motifs located in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of target genes. Here, we uncovered a distinct 3' UTR-mediated mechanism of mTOR signaling on cytokine production in T cells. Non-classical TOP motifs present in the cytokine 3' UTRs do not contribute to mTOR-mediated translation regulation. Rather, AU-rich elements (AREs) are required for mTOR-mediated cytokine production. Furthermore, we discovered that the RNA-binding protein DDX21 binds to 3' UTR AREs and confers mTOR-mediated translation control. In conclusion, we present a previously unappreciated ARE-dependent, 3' UTR-mediated mechanism that mTOR employs to regulate cytokine production.</p>","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"85 23","pages":"4452-4462.e5"},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145687715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.012
Qi-Xiang Ma, Miao Yin, Qun-Ying Lei
How the oncogenic and tumor-suppressor roles of orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) are balanced remains unclear. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Cai et al.1 report that a pyrimidine metabolite—UMP—acts as an endogenous regulator of NR4A1 by directly binding to abrogate its suppressive effect on gastric cancer development.
孤儿核受体4A1 (NR4A1)的致癌和抑瘤作用是如何平衡的尚不清楚。Cai et al.1在本期Molecular Cell中报道了一种嘧啶代谢物- ump -通过直接结合NR4A1作为内源性调节剂,从而消除其对胃癌发展的抑制作用。
{"title":"A nucleotide regulates NR4A1 status in gastric cancer","authors":"Qi-Xiang Ma, Miao Yin, Qun-Ying Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.012","url":null,"abstract":"How the oncogenic and tumor-suppressor roles of orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) are balanced remains unclear. In this issue of <em>Molecular Cell</em>, Cai et al.<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> report that a pyrimidine metabolite—UMP—acts as an endogenous regulator of NR4A1 by directly binding to abrogate its suppressive effect on gastric cancer development.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145673650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.013
Andreas Aufschnaiter, Teak-Jung Oh, Andrew Oberst
Cells can die via any of several forms of regulated cell death (RCD), including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. We now appreciate that there is substantial crosstalk between them, allowing for a high degree of plasticity downstream of cell death triggers. Understanding this is essential to delineate roles of RCD in development, homeostasis, tumor biology, and immunity; however, this crosstalk can make the fate of individual cells difficult to visualize. Here, we present a conceptual framework that builds on Waddington’s landscape model of lineage commitment. On the landscape of RCD, live cells begin atop a “mountain,” from which they roll down via “valleys” representing different cell death programs, potentially being diverted or even raised back to the summit by regulators of these processes. While acknowledging that, like any conceptual framework, this visualization is imperfect, we hope it presents a succinct approach to understand the complexities and interconnections of cell death regulation.
{"title":"The landscape of regulated cell death: It’s all downhill from here","authors":"Andreas Aufschnaiter, Teak-Jung Oh, Andrew Oberst","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.013","url":null,"abstract":"Cells can die via any of several forms of regulated cell death (RCD), including apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. We now appreciate that there is substantial crosstalk between them, allowing for a high degree of plasticity downstream of cell death triggers. Understanding this is essential to delineate roles of RCD in development, homeostasis, tumor biology, and immunity; however, this crosstalk can make the fate of individual cells difficult to visualize. Here, we present a conceptual framework that builds on Waddington’s landscape model of lineage commitment. On the landscape of RCD, live cells begin atop a “mountain,” from which they roll down via “valleys” representing different cell death programs, potentially being diverted or even raised back to the summit by regulators of these processes. While acknowledging that, like any conceptual framework, this visualization is imperfect, we hope it presents a succinct approach to understand the complexities and interconnections of cell death regulation.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.009
Shashank Srivastava, Daniela Samaniego-Castruita, Shubhi Srivastava, Sakshi Khurana, Jalees Rehman, Vipul Shukla, Issam Ben-Sahra, Daniel R. Foltz
Chromatin formation requires both an adequate nucleotide supply and histone availability. Newly synthesized histones are escorted by histone chaperones that mediate their orderly transfer from ribosomes to DNA. While nucleotide and histone synthesis are the two major biosynthetic processes required for chromatin assembly, how these processes are coordinated remains unknown. Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetases (PRPSs), which catalyze the first and rate-limiting step in nucleotide biosynthesis, form a complex with PRPS-associated proteins (PRPSAPs). Using a rapid degron system in multiple human cell lines, we show that PRPS enzymes, together with PRPSAPs, play a key role in early histone maturation independent of their nucleotide biosynthetic function. Depletion of either PRPS1 or PRPSAP1 limits histone availability and disrupts chromatin assembly. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized synchrony between nucleotide metabolism and chromatin regulation, providing insight into how nucleotide production and histone deposition are coordinated.
{"title":"Rate-limiting enzymes in nucleotide metabolism synchronize nucleotide biosynthesis and chromatin formation","authors":"Shashank Srivastava, Daniela Samaniego-Castruita, Shubhi Srivastava, Sakshi Khurana, Jalees Rehman, Vipul Shukla, Issam Ben-Sahra, Daniel R. Foltz","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.009","url":null,"abstract":"Chromatin formation requires both an adequate nucleotide supply and histone availability. Newly synthesized histones are escorted by histone chaperones that mediate their orderly transfer from ribosomes to DNA. While nucleotide and histone synthesis are the two major biosynthetic processes required for chromatin assembly, how these processes are coordinated remains unknown. Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetases (PRPSs), which catalyze the first and rate-limiting step in nucleotide biosynthesis, form a complex with PRPS-associated proteins (PRPSAPs). Using a rapid degron system in multiple human cell lines, we show that PRPS enzymes, together with PRPSAPs, play a key role in early histone maturation independent of their nucleotide biosynthetic function. Depletion of either PRPS1 or PRPSAP1 limits histone availability and disrupts chromatin assembly. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized synchrony between nucleotide metabolism and chromatin regulation, providing insight into how nucleotide production and histone deposition are coordinated.","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"120 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145658090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.010
Ruhul Amin, Ngoc-Han Ha, Tinghu Qiu, Ronald Holewinski, Khiem C. Lam, Amélie Daugherty-Lopès, Huaitian Liu, Andy D. Tran, Maxwell P. Lee, Thorkell Andresson, Romina S. Goldszmid, Kent W. Hunter
{"title":"NAT10 promotes cancer metastasis by modulating p300/CBP activity through chromatin-associated tRNA","authors":"Ruhul Amin, Ngoc-Han Ha, Tinghu Qiu, Ronald Holewinski, Khiem C. Lam, Amélie Daugherty-Lopès, Huaitian Liu, Andy D. Tran, Maxwell P. Lee, Thorkell Andresson, Romina S. Goldszmid, Kent W. Hunter","doi":"10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.010","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18950,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Cell","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}