Membrane protein "TMEM63B" that flips lipids found to have a mechanism for braking itself

Explanation

TMEM63B, a "lipid scramblase" that transports lipids in the cell membrane, normally remains in an inactive state with the brake applied. A research group from Institute of Science Tokyo, Kyoto University, Yokohama City University, and others elucidated a mechanism in which a short sequence at the end of the protein (particularly a component at leucine 776) acts as the brake, and the protein only starts moving when the membrane is deformed. It is known that when this brake breaks down, the lipid balance in the membrane is disrupted, leading to epilepsy and developmental disorders, offering a hint for developing new therapeutic drugs.