Abstract
Research on cellular mechanotransduction has primarily focused on the cell surface and the cytoskeleton. In this issue, Naughton et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202505010) identify NOMO, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein, as a force-bearing element with crucial roles in muscle differentiation and function. In a complementary study, Merta et al. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115502) demonstrate that calmin physically tethers ER tubules to actin filaments at focal adhesions, modulating their function.