Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41663364›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Molecular mechanisms of flotillin complexes in organizing membrane microdomains.

Ming-Ao Lu, Yunwen Qian, Liangwen Ma, Jinzhi Hong, Xiaopeng Li, Li Yu, Qiang Guo, Ning Gao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ming-Ao LuState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.ORCID 0009-0000-5809-5442
Yunwen QianState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Liangwen MaChangping Laboratory Graduate Program, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jinzhi HongState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Xiaopeng LiState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Li YuState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0002-3757-0758
Qiang GuoState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. guo.qiang@pku.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-3520-5439
Ning GaoState Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. gaon@pku.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-3067-9993

Funding

Beijing Natural Science FoundationNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 92354306
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Flotillin-1 and flotillin-2 form hetero-oligomers to create flotillin membrane microdomains essential for endocytosis and protein sorting. However, the mechanisms of flotillin oligomerization and microdomain organization remain incompletely understood. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of human flotillin complex, showing that flotillin-1 and -2 form a 44-mer, membrane attached, and dome-shaped structure that defines a 30-nm circular membrane domain. The cryo-ET data demonstrates that while attached to the cytoplasmic leaflet, flotillin complexes possess intrinsic structural plasticity in situ on the native membrane. Each flotillin complex may represent a fundamental unit of membrane microdomains, with their clustering enabling the formation of larger and more elaborate domains. We further reveal that phosphorylation at residues Y160 (flotillin-1) and Y163 (flotillin-2) may act as a molecular switch to modulate complex assembly, potentially regulating its function in endocytosis. These findings demonstrate the molecular mechanism of flotillin-mediated membrane segregation and microdomain formation, and suggest a previously unrecognized role of flotillin in sequestrating membrane proteins.

Indexed as

Membrane MicrodomainsMembrane ProteinsCryoelectron MicroscopyEndocytosisHumansPhosphorylationflotillinsMembrane Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41663364
PMCPMC13000311

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.