A sphingolipid-dependent diffusion barrier confines ER stress to the yeast mother cell.

In many cell types, lateral diffusion barriers compartmentalize the plasma membrane and, at least in budding yeast, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the molecular nature of these barriers, their mode of action and their cellular functions are unclear. Here, we show that misfolded proteins of the ER remain confined into the mother compartment of budding yeast cells.

New approaches to an age-old problem.

Progress in the last decades indicated that ageing might be a universal fact of life. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain a major challenge in biology. Our relatively long life span and huge variations in lifestyle make detailed studies of ageing in humans difficult to interpret.