Highlights d GEMs enable high-throughput microrheology in unperturbed living cells d mTORC1 controls diffusion by tuning ribosome concentration d Diffusion can be accurately predicted as a function of ribosome concentration d Crowding of the cytoplasm by ribosomes increases phase separation

The molecular organization of eukaryotic nuclear volumes remains largely unexplored. Here we combined recent developments in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to produce three-dimensional snapshots of the HeLa cell nuclear periphery. Subtomogram averaging and classification of ribosomes revealed the native structure and organization of the cytoplasmic translation machinery. Analysis of a large dynamic structure-the nuclear pore complex-revealed variations detectable at the level of individual complexes. Cryo-ET was used to visualize previously elusive structures, such as nucleosome chains and the filaments of the nuclear lamina, in situ. Elucidation of the lamina structure provides insight into its contribution to metazoan nuclear stiffness.

No abstract

In mammalian cells, one-third of all polypeptides are transported into or across the ER membrane via the Sec61 channel. While the Sec61 complex facilitates translocation of all polypeptides with amino-terminal signal peptides (SP) or transmembrane helices, the Sec61-auxiliary translocon-associated protein (TRAP) complex supports translocation of only a subset of precursors. To characterize determinants of TRAP substrate specificity, we here systematically identify TRAP-dependent precursors by analyzing cellular protein abundance changes upon TRAP depletion using quantitative label-free proteomics. The results are validated in independent experiments by western blotting, quantitative RT-PCR, and complementation analysis. The SPs of TRAP clients exhibit above-average glycine-plus-proline content and below-average hydrophobicity as distinguishing features. Thus, TRAP may act as SP receptor on the ER membrane’s cytosolic face, recognizing precursor polypeptides with SPs of high glycine-plus-proline content and/or low hydrophobicity, and triggering substrate-specific opening of the Sec61 channel through interactions with the ER-lumenal hinge of Sec61α.