GoKawiilBiological membranes are made of a bilayer of molecules called phospholipids. A membrane’s rigidity depends on both its lipid composition and temperature: cold makes membranes more stiff, whereas heat makes them overly fluid and unstable1. To cope with temperature fluctuations, cells can adjust the lipid composition of their membranes2, but how membranes sense changes in temperature and adapt their properties so rapidly has puzzled scientists. Writing in Nature, Fan et al.3 identify a membrane protein, ALA5, that is essential for the ability of rice plants (Oryza sativa) to tolerate heat. The authors reveal the molecular mechanism through which this protein safeguards membrane properties at high temperatures.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01809-w
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Competing Interests The author declares no competing interests.
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