Growing a gasdermin pore in membranes of pyroptotic cells.

Inflammasome‐activated caspase‐1, caspase‐11, caspase‐4, and caspase‐5 cleave GSDMD to unleash its N‐terminal gasdermin‐N domain (GSDMD ) that perforates the plasma membrane to execute pyroptosis and stimulate inflammation. The mechanism underlying GSDMD pore formation is unclear. Mulvihill use high‐resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze the dynamic pore formation process of GSDMD . GSDMD protomers are inserted into the lipid membrane to assemble arc‐ or slit‐shaped oligomers that can incorporate additional protomers and grow into large and stable ring‐shaped oligomers to form pores.