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The cryo-electron microscopy structure of the ER membrane complex provides insight into its overall architecture, evolution and function in co-translational protein insertion.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane complex (EMC) cooperates with the Sec61 translocon to co-translationally insert a transmembrane helix (TMH) of many multi-pass integral membrane proteins into the ER membrane, and it is also responsible for inserting the TMH of some tail-anchored proteins(1-3). How EMC accomplishes this feat has been unclear. Here we report the first, to our knowledge, cryo-electron microscopy structure of the eukaryotic EMC. We found that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae EMC contains eight subunits (Emc1-6, Emc7 and Emc10), has a large lumenal region and a smaller cytosolic region, and has a transmembrane region formed by Emc4, Emc5 and Emc6 plus the transmembrane domains of Emc1 and Emc3. We identified a five-TMH fold centred around Emc3 that resembles the prokaryotic YidC insertase and that delineates a largely hydrophilic client protein pocket. The transmembrane domain of Emc4 tilts away from the main transmembrane region of EMC and is partially mobile. Mutational studies demonstrated that the flexibility of Emc4 and the hydrophilicity of the client pocket are required for EMC function. The EMC structure reveals notable evolutionary conservation with the prokaryotic insertases(4,5), suggests that eukaryotic TMH insertion involves a similar mechanism, and provides a framework for detailed understanding of membrane insertion for numerous eukaryotic integral membrane proteins and tail-anchored proteins.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the United Nations aims to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". Achieving this goal will require rebuilding the marine life-support systems that deliver the many benefits that society receives from a healthy ocean. Here we document the recovery of marine populations, habitats and ecosystems following past conservation interventions. Recovery rates across studies suggest that substantial recovery of the abundance, structure and function of marine life could be achieved by 2050, if major pressures-including climate change-are mitigated. Rebuilding marine life represents a doable Grand Challenge for humanity, an ethical obligation and a smart economic objective to achieve a sustainable future.

Environmental change is rapidly accelerating, and many species will need to adapt to survive(1). Ensuring that protected areas cover populations across a broad range of environmental conditions could safeguard the processes that lead to such adaptations(1-3). However, international conservation policies have largely neglected these considerations when setting targets for the expansion of protected areas(4). Here we show that-of 19,937 vertebrate species globally(5-8)-the representation of environmental conditions across their habitats in protected areas (hereafter, niche representation) is inadequate for 4,836 (93.1%) amphibian, 8,653 (89.5%) bird and 4,608 (90.9%) terrestrial mammal species. Expanding existing protected areas to cover these gaps would encompass 33.8% of the total land surface-exceeding the current target of 17% that has been adopted by governments. Priority locations for expanding the system of protected areas to improve niche representation occur in global biodiversity hotspots(9), including Colombia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and southwest China, as well as across most of the major land masses of the Earth. Conversely, we also show that planning for the expansion of protected areas without explicitly considering environmental conditions would marginally reduce the land area required to 30.7%, but that this would lead to inadequate niche representation for 7,798 (39.1%) species. As the governments of the world prepare to renegotiate global conservation targets, policymakers have the opportunity to help to maintain the adaptive potential of species by considering niche representation within protected areas(1,2).

Protected areas would need to expand to 33.8% of the total land surface to adequately represent environmental conditions across the habitats of amphibians, birds and terrestrial mammals, far exceeding the current 17% target.