Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Cover: Actin-rich microridges on the apical surface of zebrafish peridermal cells. The microridges are stained with phalloidin (blue). These polarized structures are shown to be regulated by Nup358-dependent SUMOylation of atypical protein kinase C. See article by I. Magre et al. (jcs224501).
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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
STICKY WICKET
FIRST PERSON
REVIEWS
Lipid droplet–membrane contact sites – from protein binding to function
Summary: This Review summarizes the main principles of protein-lipid droplet (LD) interactions and recent evidence indicating the importance of contact sites with other organelles in the regulation of LD functions.
Molecular form and function of the cytokinetic ring
Summary: This Review highlights new findings about the arrangement of molecules within the force-generating cytokinetic ring from studies using advanced microscopy techniques and in vitro approaches.
SHORT REPORT
The asymmetric chemical structures of two mating pheromones reflect their differential roles in mating of fission yeast
Summary: Lipid pheromone peptides secreted locally from one cell may be concentrated at the fusion site with an opposite mating-type cell, which then polarizes to enable successful conjugation in S. pombe.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
Yeast ceramide synthases, Lag1 and Lac1, have distinct substrate specificity
Highlighted Article: Distinct substrate specificities of Lag1 and Lac1, the two yeast ceramide synthases, are revealed, shedding light on their physiological roles.
Dual role for fungal-specific outer kinetochore proteins during cell cycle and development in Magnaporthe oryzae
Summary: DASH complex proteins are differentially recruited to the nucleus during cell division and are intriguingly involved in polarised growth during development and differentiation in the rice blast fungus.
HsSAS-6-dependent cartwheel assembly ensures stabilization of centriole intermediates
Summary: The cartwheel structure, a universal template of the centriole, is necessary for the integrity of centriole intermediates up to the early S phase, but dispensable for subsequent centriole elongation and maturation.
RACK1 evolved species-specific multifunctionality in translational control through sequence plasticity within a loop domain
Highlighted Article: Sequence divergence within a poorly understood loop domain of RACK1 functions to control two distinct aspects of translation in different species.
Nup358 regulates microridge length by controlling SUMOylation-dependent activity of aPKC in zebrafish epidermis
Summary: Microridges on the apical surface of zebrafish peridermal cells are regulated by the conserved polarity kinase aPKC. We show that Nup358-mediated SUMO-modification of aPKC is crucial for this function.
Spindle checkpoint silencing at kinetochores with submaximal microtubule occupancy
Highlighted Article: To finalize mitosis, half-maximal occupancy of kinetochores by microtubules is sufficient to overcome the inhibitory effect of the spindle assembly checkpoint.
New roles for the de-ubiquitylating enzyme OTUD4 in an RNA–protein network and RNA granules
Highlighted Article: Novel functions for the de-ubiquitylating enzyme OTUD4 in RNA binding, stress granule formation and neuronal RNA transport granules are presented.
WIP-1 and DBN-1 promote scission of endocytic vesicles by bridging actin and Dynamin-1 in the C. elegans intestine
Summary: WIP-1 and DBN-1, two actin-binding proteins, link the actin assembly to endocytic sites and cooperate with DYN-1 for clathrin-coated vesicle scission in the C. elegans intestine.
CORRECTION
Correction: VAPB depletion alters neuritogenesis and phosphoinositide balance in motoneuron-like cells: relevance to VAPB-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (doi:10.1242/jcs.220061)
PREPRINT HIGHLIGHTS
Call for papers - Cilia and Flagella: from Basic Biology to Disease

We are welcoming submissions for our upcoming special issue: Cilia and Flagella: from Basic Biology to Disease. This issue will be coordinated by two Guest Editors: Pleasantine Mill (University of Edinburgh) and Lotte Pedersen (University of Copenhagen). Extended submission deadline: 31 March 2025.
History of our journals

As our publisher, The Company of Biologists, turns 100 years old, read about Journal of Cell Science’s journey and explore the history of each of our sister journals: Development, Journal of Experimental Biology, Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open.
Introducing our new Associate Editors

In this Editorial, JCS Editor-in-Chief Michael Way welcomes five new Associate Editors to the JCS team. These Associate Editors will expand our support for the wider cell biology community and handle articles in immune cell biology, proteostasis, imaging and image analysis, plant cell biology, and stem cell biology and modelling.
Diversity of microtubule arrays in animal cells at a glance

In this Cell Science at a Glance article, Emma van Grinsven and Anna Akhmanova provide an overview of the diverse microtubule arrays present in differentiated animal cells and discuss how these arrays form and function.
JCS-FocalPlane Training Grants

Early-career researchers - working in an area covered by JCS - who would like to attend a microscopy training course, please apply. Deadline dates for 2025 applications: 7 March 2025 (decision by week commencing 21 April 2025) and 6 June 2025 (decision by week commencing 28 July 2025).