Loss of Copine D Leads to Ras Activation in Dictyostelium discoideum

This study demonstrates that in *Dictyostelium discoideum*, the loss of Copine D leads to increased Ras activation, resulting in enhanced proliferation, precocious development, larger fruiting bodies, reduced cell adhesion, and smaller contractile vacuoles, thereby establishing Copine D as a nonredundant regulator of Ras signaling and diverse cellular processes.

Morrison, C. T., Damer-Daigle, S. K., Plude, B. K. + 2 more2026-04-12📄 cell biology

Proteomic mapping of novel tubulin post-translational modifications in Trypanosoma cruzi cytoskeleton

This study presents the first comprehensive proteomic map of novel post-translational modifications on alpha- and beta-tubulin in *Trypanosoma cruzi*, revealing a complex "tubulin code" with multiple previously unreported modifications located in solvent-exposed regions that likely regulate the parasite's specialized microtubule structures.

Martinez Peralta, G., Baldelomar, D., Baldasseroni, L. + 2 more2026-04-12📄 cell biology

Large-scale endoplasmic reticulum membrane solidification spatially organizes proteins under thermal or metabolic stress

This study reveals that under thermal or metabolic stress, endoplasmic reticulum membranes undergo a large-scale phase transition into rigid, multilamellar "rods" driven by saturated lipid demixing and the exclusion of tubulating proteins, thereby serving as a homeoviscous mechanism to preserve organelle function.

Mueller, P. M., Mikolaj, M. R., Belbaraka, E. + 15 more2026-04-12📄 cell biology

Physiological architecture and evolutionary origins of cellular adaptability

This study reveals that cellular adaptability is an evolved physiological architecture shaped by selection history, demonstrating that long-term osmotic stress in yeast reorders a pre-existing hierarchical stress response mechanism, ultimately enhancing tolerance to specific conditions while compromising the cell's ability to integrate diverse environmental cues.

Dea, A., Lan, Y., Doran, B. A. + 6 more2026-04-11📄 cell biology

The gamma-Tubulin Ring Complex promotes mitotic spindle integrity and acts as a microtubule minus-end cap during mitosis

This study demonstrates that the {gamma}-Tubulin Ring Complex ({gamma}-TuRC) is essential for both initiating mitotic spindle assembly and maintaining spindle integrity by acting as a stabilizing minus-end cap, as its rapid depletion causes spindle collapse that can be rescued by inhibiting the depolymerizing kinesin KIF2A.

Aljumaah, R., Turcotte, E. A., Sundararajan, S. + 3 more2026-04-11📄 cell biology

Rete Ridge Topography as a Determinant of Epidermal Stem Cell Identity: Implications for Skin Aging

This study demonstrates that the concave topography of epidermal rete ridges acts as a critical physical determinant of epidermal stem cell identity by promoting differentiation through specific chromatin and transcriptional changes, suggesting that the age-related flattening of these ridges contributes to skin aging by disrupting stem cell homeostasis.

Fang, R., Hamaguchi, R., Xu, S. + 11 more2026-04-10📄 cell biology

Ex Vivo Expansion of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells from Human Mobilized Peripheral Blood for Gene Therapy Applications

This study presents a clinically compliant, optimized ex vivo expansion protocol for mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells that maintains stemness and transduction efficiency, as validated by single-cell sequencing and clonal tracking, paving the way for a gene therapy trial in autosomal recessive osteopetrosis.

Zonari, E., Naldini, M. M., Barcella, M. + 17 more2026-04-10📄 cell biology

Midzone bundles of the mammalian anaphase spindle are mechanically coupled both locally and globally

Using microneedle manipulation, this study reveals that mammalian anaphase midzone bundles are mechanically coupled both locally and globally via a PRC1-dependent mechanism, allowing the spindle to function as a single mechanical unit that resists force over short timescales while remodeling over longer periods to ensure robust chromosome segregation.

Mullin-Bernstein, Z., van Wierst, S., Garrison, C. + 2 more2026-04-10📄 cell biology