1
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Zhou HX, Kota D, Qin S, Prasad R. Fundamental Aspects of Phase-Separated Biomolecular Condensates. Chem Rev 2024; 124:8550-8595. [PMID: 38885177 PMCID: PMC11260227 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, formed through phase separation, are upending our understanding in much of molecular, cell, and developmental biology. There is an urgent need to elucidate the physicochemical foundations of the behaviors and properties of biomolecular condensates. Here we aim to fill this need by writing a comprehensive, critical, and accessible review on the fundamental aspects of phase-separated biomolecular condensates. We introduce the relevant theoretical background, present the theoretical basis for the computation and experimental measurement of condensate properties, and give mechanistic interpretations of condensate behaviors and properties in terms of interactions at the molecular and residue levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Xiang Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Divya Kota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Sanbo Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Ramesh Prasad
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
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2
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Zhang M, Gu Z, Guo S, Sun Y, Ma S, Yang S, Guo J, Fang C, Shu L, Ge Y, Chen Z, Wang B. SRRM2 phase separation drives assembly of nuclear speckle subcompartments. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113827. [PMID: 38381607 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Nuclear speckles (NSs) are nuclear biomolecular condensates that are postulated to form by macromolecular phase separation, although the detailed underlying forces driving NS formation remain elusive. SRRM2 and SON are 2 non-redundant scaffold proteins for NSs. How each individual protein governs assembly of the NS protein network and the functional relationship between SRRM2 and SON are largely unknown. Here, we uncover immiscible multiphases of SRRM2 and SON within NSs. SRRM2 and SON are functionally independent, specifically regulating alternative splicing of subsets of mRNA targets, respectively. We further show that SRRM2 forms multicomponent liquid phases in cells to drive NS subcompartmentalization, which is reliant on homotypic interaction and heterotypic non-selective protein-RNA complex coacervation-driven phase separation. SRRM2 serine/arginine-rich (RS) domains form higher-order oligomers and can be replaced by oligomerizable synthetic modules. The serine residues within the RS domains, however, play an irreplaceable role in fine-tuning the liquidity of NSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhuang Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shuanghui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yingtian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Suibin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jierui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chenxi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Li Shu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 203201, China
| | - Yifan Ge
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 203201, China
| | - Zhongwen Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 203201, China
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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3
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Demmerle J, Hao S, Cai D. Transcriptional condensates and phase separation: condensing information across scales and mechanisms. Nucleus 2023; 14:2213551. [PMID: 37218279 PMCID: PMC10208215 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2023.2213551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription is the fundamental process of gene expression, which in eukaryotes occurs within the complex physicochemical environment of the nucleus. Decades of research have provided extreme detail in the molecular and functional mechanisms of transcription, but the spatial and genomic organization of transcription remains mysterious. Recent discoveries show that transcriptional components can undergo phase separation and create distinct compartments inside the nucleus, providing new models through which to view the transcription process in eukaryotes. In this review, we focus on transcriptional condensates and their phase separation-like behaviors. We suggest differentiation between physical descriptions of phase separation and the complex and dynamic biomolecular assemblies required for productive gene expression, and we discuss how transcriptional condensates are central to organizing the three-dimensional genome across spatial and temporal scales. Finally, we map approaches for therapeutic manipulation of transcriptional condensates and ask what technical advances are needed to understand transcriptional condensates more completely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Demmerle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Siyuan Hao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danfeng Cai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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Borodavka A, Acker J. Seeing Biomolecular Condensates Through the Lens of Viruses. Annu Rev Virol 2023; 10:163-182. [PMID: 37040799 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-111821-103226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Phase separation of viral biopolymers is a key factor in the formation of cytoplasmic viral inclusions, known as sites of virus replication and assembly. This review describes the mechanisms and factors that affect phase separation in viral replication and identifies potential areas for future research. Drawing inspiration from studies on cellular RNA-rich condensates, we compare the hierarchical coassembly of ribosomal RNAs and proteins in the nucleolus to the coordinated coassembly of viral RNAs and proteins taking place within viral factories in viruses containing segmented RNA genomes. We highlight the common characteristics of biomolecular condensates in viral replication and how this new understanding is reshaping our views of virus assembly mechanisms. Such studies have the potential to uncover unexplored antiviral strategies targeting these phase-separated states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Borodavka
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;
| | - Julia Acker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;
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5
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Murata Y, Hirayama R, Miura N, Kataoka M. Large-scale preparation of yeast strains expressing condensates derived from a glycolytic enzyme via controlled dissolved oxygen levels under hypoxia. Lett Appl Microbiol 2023; 76:ovad095. [PMID: 37587018 DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovad095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Under hypoxia, Saccharomyces cerevisiae forms cytoplasmic condensates composed of proteins, including glycolytic enzymes, that are thought to regulate cellular metabolism. However, the hypoxic conditions required for condensate formation remain unclear. In this study, we developed a 300-mL-scale culture method to produce condensate-forming cells by precisely controlling the dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the media. Using enolase as a model, a foci formation rate of more than 50% was achieved at ∼0.1% DO, and the results showed that the DO level affected the foci formation rate. The foci formation rates of the previously reported foci-deficient strains and strains with single amino acid substitutions in the endogenous enolase were examined, and the effect of these amino acid substitutions on glucose consumption and ethanol and glycerol production under hypoxia was evaluated. The results of this study contribute to the investigation of the mechanisms that regulate biomacromolecular condensates under hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Murata
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
| | - Reina Hirayama
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
| | - Natsuko Miura
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
| | - Michihiko Kataoka
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai 599-8531, Japan
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6
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Chung CI, Yang J, Shu X. Chemogenetic Minitool for Dissecting the Roles of Protein Phase Separation. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:1466-1479. [PMID: 37521779 PMCID: PMC10375881 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensate is an emerging structural entity that regulates various cellular processes. Recent studies have discovered the phase-separation (PS) capability of several transcription factors (TFs) including YAP/TAZ upon biological stimuli, which provide new mechanisms of gene regulation. However, it remains mostly unanswered as to whether PS from a diffuse state to a phase-separated state promotes gene transcription. To address this question, we have designed a chemogenetic tool, dubbed SPARK-ON, which manipulates the PS of YAP and TAZ without a biological stimulus, forming condensates that are transcriptionally active, containing the DNA-binding partner TEAD, genomic DNA, transcriptional machinery, and nascent RNA. Most importantly, PS of TAZ increases the transcription of its target genes. Therefore, our data indicate that PS promotes gene transcription of TAZ. SPARK-ON is advantageous to current mutagenesis-based approaches that are often problematic when mutagenesis affects the transcriptional activity of a TF. Furthermore, protein abundance levels also affect gene transcription, but PS depends on protein abundance because PS occurs only when the protein level is above a saturation concentration. SPARK-ON decouples PS from protein abundance levels without introducing mutations and thus will find important applications in understanding the biological roles of PS for many TFs and other biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-I Chung
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Cardiovascular
Research Institute, University of California—San
Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Junjiao Yang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Cardiovascular
Research Institute, University of California—San
Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Xiaokun Shu
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Cardiovascular
Research Institute, University of California—San
Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Helen Diller
Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University
of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
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7
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Dai Y, You L, Chilkoti A. Engineering synthetic biomolecular condensates. NATURE REVIEWS BIOENGINEERING 2023; 1:1-15. [PMID: 37359769 PMCID: PMC10107566 DOI: 10.1038/s44222-023-00052-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The concept of phase-separation-mediated formation of biomolecular condensates provides a new framework to understand cellular organization and cooperativity-dependent cellular functions. With growing understanding of how biological systems drive phase separation and how cellular functions are encoded by biomolecular condensates, opportunities have emerged for cellular control through engineering of synthetic biomolecular condensates. In this Review, we discuss how to construct synthetic biomolecular condensates and how they can regulate cellular functions. We first describe the fundamental principles by which biomolecular components can drive phase separation. Next, we discuss the relationship between the properties of condensates and their cellular functions, which informs the design of components to create programmable synthetic condensates. Finally, we describe recent applications of synthetic biomolecular condensates for cellular control and discuss some of the design considerations and prospective applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
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8
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Nam J, Gwon Y. Neuronal biomolecular condensates and their implications in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1145420. [PMID: 37065458 PMCID: PMC10102667 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1145420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are subcellular organizations where functionally related proteins and nucleic acids are assembled through liquid-liquid phase separation, allowing them to develop on a larger scale without a membrane. However, biomolecular condensates are highly vulnerable to disruptions from genetic risks and various factors inside and outside the cell and are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to the classical view of the nucleation-polymerization process that triggers the protein aggregation from the misfolded seed, the pathologic transition of biomolecular condensates can also promote the aggregation of proteins found in the deposits of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, it has been suggested that several protein or protein-RNA complexes located in the synapse and along the neuronal process are neuron-specific condensates displaying liquid-like properties. As their compositional and functional modifications play a crucial role in the context of neurodegeneration, further research is needed to fully understand the role of neuronal biomolecular condensates. In this article, we will discuss recent findings that explore the pivotal role of biomolecular condensates in the development of neuronal defects and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Youngdae Gwon
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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9
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Onuchic P, Boeynaems S. You're in then you're out. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:399-400. [PMID: 36747053 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01254-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Onuchic
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA. .,Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND), Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA. .,Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (DLDCCC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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10
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Koja Y, Joshima Y, Yoritaka Y, Arakawa T, Go H, Hakamata N, Kaseda H, Hattori T, Takeda S. Formation of subcellular compartments by condensation-prone protein OsJAZ2 in Oryza sativa and Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2023; 42:269-286. [PMID: 36449075 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02955-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OsJAZ2 protein has a propensity to form condensates, possibly by multivalent interactions, and can be used to construct artificial compartments in plant cells. Eukaryotic cells contain various membraneless organelles, which are compartments consisting of proteinaceous condensates formed by phase separation. Such compartments are attractive for bioengineering and synthetic biology, because they can modify cellular function by the enrichment of molecules of interest and providing an orthogonal reaction system. This study reports that Oryza sativa JAZ2 protein (OsJAZ2) is an atypical jasmonate signalling regulator that can form large condensates in both the nucleus and cytosol of O. sativa cells. TIFY and Jas domains and low-complexity regions contribute to JAZ2 condensation, possibly by multivalent interaction. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis suggests that JAZ2 condensates form mostly gel-like or solid compartments, but can also be in a liquid-like state. Deletion of the N-terminal region or the TIFY domain of JAZ2 causes an increase in the mobile fraction of JAZ2 condensates, moderately. Moreover, JAZ2 can also form liquid-like condensates when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana cells. The recombinant JAZ2 fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) forms condensate in vitro, suggesting that the intermolecular interaction of JAZ2 molecules is a driving force for condensation. These results suggest the potential use of JAZ2 condensates to construct artificial membraneless organelles in plant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshito Koja
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yu Joshima
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yoritaka
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Takuya Arakawa
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Haruka Go
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Nagisa Hakamata
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Hinako Kaseda
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Tsukaho Hattori
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Shin Takeda
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
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11
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Shillcock JC, Thomas DB, Ipsen JH, Brown AD. Macromolecular Crowding Is Surprisingly Unable to Deform the Structure of a Model Biomolecular Condensate. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:181. [PMID: 36829460 PMCID: PMC9952705 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The crowded interior of a living cell makes performing experiments on simpler in vitro systems attractive. Although these reveal interesting phenomena, their biological relevance can be questionable. A topical example is the phase separation of intrinsically disordered proteins into biomolecular condensates, which is proposed to underlie the membrane-less compartmentalization of many cellular functions. How a cell reliably controls biochemical reactions in compartments open to the compositionally-varying cytoplasm is an important question for understanding cellular homeostasis. Computer simulations are often used to study the phase behavior of model biomolecular condensates, but the number of relevant parameters increases as the number of protein components increases. It is unfeasible to exhaustively simulate such models for all parameter combinations, although interesting phenomena are almost certainly hidden in their high-dimensional parameter space. Here, we have studied the phase behavior of a model biomolecular condensate in the presence of a polymeric crowding agent. We used a novel compute framework to execute dozens of simultaneous simulations spanning the protein/crowder concentration space. We then combined the results into a graphical representation for human interpretation, which provided an efficient way to search the model's high-dimensional parameter space. We found that steric repulsion from the crowder drives a near-critical system across the phase boundary, but the molecular arrangement within the resulting biomolecular condensate is rather insensitive to the crowder concentration and molecular weight. We propose that a cell may use the local cytoplasmic concentration to assist the formation of biomolecular condensates, while relying on the dense phase to reliably provide a stable, structured, fluid milieu for cellular biochemistry despite being open to its changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C. Shillcock
- Blue Brain Project and Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David B. Thomas
- Department of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - John H. Ipsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Andrew D. Brown
- Department of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
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12
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Qian ZG, Huang SC, Xia XX. Synthetic protein condensates for cellular and metabolic engineering. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:1330-1340. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01203-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Sang D, Shu T, Pantoja CF, Ibáñez de Opakua A, Zweckstetter M, Holt LJ. Condensed-phase signaling can expand kinase specificity and respond to macromolecular crowding. Mol Cell 2022; 82:3693-3711.e10. [PMID: 36108633 PMCID: PMC10101210 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Phase separation can concentrate biomolecules and accelerate reactions. However, the mechanisms and principles connecting this mesoscale organization to signaling dynamics are difficult to dissect because of the pleiotropic effects associated with disrupting endogenous condensates. To address this limitation, we engineered new phosphorylation reactions within synthetic condensates. We generally found increased activity and broadened kinase specificity. Phosphorylation dynamics within condensates were rapid and could drive cell-cycle-dependent localization changes. High client concentration within condensates was important but not the main factor for efficient phosphorylation. Rather, the availability of many excess client-binding sites together with a flexible scaffold was crucial. Phosphorylation within condensates was also modulated by changes in macromolecular crowding. Finally, the phosphorylation of the Alzheimer's-disease-associated protein Tau by cyclin-dependent kinase 2 was accelerated within condensates. Thus, condensates enable new signaling connections and can create sensors that respond to the biophysical properties of the cytoplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajun Sang
- Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Langone Medical Center, 435 E 30th Street, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Tong Shu
- Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Langone Medical Center, 435 E 30th Street, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Christian F Pantoja
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alain Ibáñez de Opakua
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Liam J Holt
- Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Langone Medical Center, 435 E 30th Street, New York, NY 10010, USA.
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14
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Wu C, Holehouse AS, Leung DW, Amarasinghe GK, Dutch RE. Liquid Phase Partitioning in Virus Replication: Observations and Opportunities. Annu Rev Virol 2022; 9:285-306. [PMID: 35709511 PMCID: PMC11331907 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-093020-013659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Viruses frequently carry out replication in specialized compartments within cells. The effect of these structures on virus replication is poorly understood. Recent research supports phase separation as a foundational principle for organization of cellular components with the potential to influence viral replication. In this review, phase separation is described in the context of formation of viral replication centers, with an emphasis on the nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses. Consideration is given to the interplay between phase separation and the critical processes of viral transcription and genome replication, and the role of these regions in pathogen-host interactions is discussed. Finally, critical questions that must be addressed to fully understand how phase separation influences viral replication and the viral life cycle are presented, along with information about new approaches that could be used to make important breakthroughs in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering Living Systems, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Daisy W Leung
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gaya K Amarasinghe
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Rebecca Ellis Dutch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA;
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15
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Lasker K, Boeynaems S, Lam V, Scholl D, Stainton E, Briner A, Jacquemyn M, Daelemans D, Deniz A, Villa E, Holehouse AS, Gitler AD, Shapiro L. The material properties of a bacterial-derived biomolecular condensate tune biological function in natural and synthetic systems. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5643. [PMID: 36163138 PMCID: PMC9512792 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33221-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular phase separation is emerging as a universal principle for organizing biochemical reactions in time and space. It remains incompletely resolved how biological function is encoded in these assemblies and whether this depends on their material state. The conserved intrinsically disordered protein PopZ forms condensates at the poles of the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, which in turn orchestrate cell-cycle regulating signaling cascades. Here we show that the material properties of these condensates are determined by a balance between attractive and repulsive forces mediated by a helical oligomerization domain and an expanded disordered region, respectively. A series of PopZ mutants disrupting this balance results in condensates that span the material properties spectrum, from liquid to solid. A narrow range of condensate material properties supports proper cell division, linking emergent properties to organismal fitness. We use these insights to repurpose PopZ as a modular platform for generating tunable synthetic condensates in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Lasker
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vinson Lam
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Scholl
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Emma Stainton
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Adam Briner
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Maarten Jacquemyn
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Daelemans
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ashok Deniz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Villa
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Aaron D Gitler
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Lucy Shapiro
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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16
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Shillcock JC, Lagisquet C, Alexandre J, Vuillon L, Ipsen JH. Model biomolecular condensates have heterogeneous structure quantitatively dependent on the interaction profile of their constituent macromolecules. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6674-6693. [PMID: 36004748 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00387b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates play numerous roles in cells by selectively concentrating client proteins while excluding others. These functions are likely to be sensitive to the spatial organization of the scaffold proteins forming the condensate. We use coarse-grained molecular simulations to show that model intrinsically-disordered proteins phase separate into a heterogeneous, structured fluid characterized by a well-defined length scale. The proteins are modelled as semi-flexible polymers with punctate, multifunctional binding sites in good solvent conditions. Their dense phase is highly solvated with a spatial structure that is more sensitive to the separation of the binding sites than their affinity. We introduce graph theoretic measures to quantify their heterogeneity, and find that it increases with increasing binding site number, and exhibits multi-timescale dynamics. The model proteins also swell on passing from the dilute solution to the dense phase. The simulations predict that the structure of the dense phase is modulated by the location and affinity of binding sites distant from the termini of the proteins, while sites near the termini more strongly affect its phase behaviour. The relations uncovered between the arrangement of weak interaction sites on disordered proteins and the material properties of their dense phase can be experimentally tested to give insight into the biophysical properties, pathological effects, and rational design of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Shillcock
- Blue Brain Project and Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Clément Lagisquet
- LAMA, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LAMA, 73376 Le Bourget du Lac, France.
| | - Jérémy Alexandre
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Vuillon
- LAMA, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LAMA, 73376 Le Bourget du Lac, France.
| | - John H Ipsen
- Dept. of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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17
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Garabedian MV, Su Z, Dabdoub J, Tong M, Deiters A, Hammer DA, Good MC. Protein Condensate Formation via Controlled Multimerization of Intrinsically Disordered Sequences. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2470-2481. [PMID: 35918061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many proteins harboring low complexity or intrinsically disordered sequences (IDRs) are capable of undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation to form mesoscale condensates that function as biochemical niches with the ability to concentrate or sequester macromolecules and regulate cellular activity. Engineered disordered proteins have been used to generate programmable synthetic membraneless organelles in cells. Phase separation is governed by the strength of interactions among polypeptides with multivalency enhancing phase separation at lower concentrations. Previously, we and others demonstrated enzymatic control of IDR valency from multivalent precursors to dissolve condensed phases. Here, we develop noncovalent strategies to multimerize an individual IDR, the RGG domain of LAF-1, using protein interaction domains to regulate condensate formation in vitro and in living cells. First, we characterize modular dimerization of RGG domains at either terminus using cognate high-affinity coiled-coil pairs to form stable condensates in vitro. Second, we demonstrate temporal control over phase separation of RGG domains fused to FRB and FKBP in the presence of dimerizer. Further, using a photocaged dimerizer, we achieve optically induced condensation both in cell-sized emulsions and within live cells. Collectively, these modular tools allow multiple strategies to promote phase separation of a common core IDR for tunable control of condensate assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael V Garabedian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Zhihui Su
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jorge Dabdoub
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Michelle Tong
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Daniel A Hammer
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Matthew C Good
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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18
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Tomares DT, Whitlock S, Mann M, DiBernardo E, Childers WS. Repurposing Peptide Nanomaterials as Synthetic Biomolecular Condensates in Bacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2154-2162. [PMID: 35658421 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nanomaterials exhibit diverse applications in vitro, such as drug delivery. Here, we consider the utility of de novo peptide nanomaterials to organize biochemistry within the bacterial cytoplasm. Toward this goal, we discovered that ABC coiled-coil triblock peptides form gel-like biomolecular condensates with a csat of 10 μM in addition to their well-known hydrogel-forming capabilities. Expression of the coiled-coil triblock peptides in bacteria leads to cell pole accumulation via a nucleoid occlusion mechanism. We then provide a proof of principle that these synthetic biomolecular condensates could sequester clients at the cell pole. Finally, we demonstrate that triblock peptides and another biomolecular condensate, RNase E, phase-separate as distinct protein-rich assemblies in vitro and in vivo. These results reveal the potential of using peptide nanomaterials to divide the bacterial cytoplasm into distinct subcellular zones with future metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan T Tomares
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Sara Whitlock
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Matthew Mann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Emma DiBernardo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - W Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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19
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Daude N, Lau A, Vanni I, Kang SG, Castle AR, Wohlgemuth S, Dorosh L, Wille H, Stepanova M, Westaway D. Prion protein with a mutant N-terminal octarepeat region undergoes cobalamin-dependent assembly into high-molecular weight complexes. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101770. [PMID: 35271850 PMCID: PMC9010764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrPC) has a C-terminal globular domain and a disordered N-terminal region encompassing five octarepeats (ORs). Encounters between Cu(II) ions and four OR sites produce interchangeable binding geometries; however, the significance of Cu(II) binding to ORs in different combinations is unclear. To understand the impact of specific binding geometries, OR variants were designed that interact with multiple or single Cu(II) ions in specific locked coordinations. Unexpectedly, we found that one mutant produced detergent-insoluble, protease-resistant species in cells in the absence of exposure to the infectious prion protein isoform, scrapie-associated prion protein (PrPSc). Formation of these assemblies, visible as puncta, was reversible and dependent upon medium formulation. Cobalamin (Cbl), a dietary cofactor containing a corrin ring that coordinates a Co3+ ion, was identified as a key medium component, and its effect was validated by reconstitution experiments. Although we failed to find evidence that Cbl interacts with Cu-binding OR regions, we instead noted interactions of Cbl with the PrPC C-terminal domain. We found that some interactions occurred at a binding site of planar tetrapyrrole compounds on the isolated globular domain, but others did not, and N-terminal sequences additionally had a marked effect on their presence and position. Our studies define a conditional effect of Cbl wherein a mutant OR region can act in cis to destabilize a globular domain with a wild type sequence. The unexpected intersection between the properties of PrPSc's disordered region, Cbl, and conformational remodeling events may have implications for understanding sporadic prion disease that does not involve exposure to PrPSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Daude
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Agnes Lau
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Ilaria Vanni
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew R Castle
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Serene Wohlgemuth
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Lyudmyla Dorosh
- Faculty of Engineering - Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Stepanova
- Faculty of Engineering - Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada.
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20
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Roeder AHK, Otegui MS, Dixit R, Anderson CT, Faulkner C, Zhang Y, Harrison MJ, Kirchhelle C, Goshima G, Coate JE, Doyle JJ, Hamant O, Sugimoto K, Dolan L, Meyer H, Ehrhardt DW, Boudaoud A, Messina C. Fifteen compelling open questions in plant cell biology. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:72-102. [PMID: 34529074 PMCID: PMC8774073 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As scientists, we are at least as excited about the open questions-the things we do not know-as the discoveries. Here, we asked 15 experts to describe the most compelling open questions in plant cell biology. These are their questions: How are organelle identity, domains, and boundaries maintained under the continuous flux of vesicle trafficking and membrane remodeling? Is the plant cortical microtubule cytoskeleton a mechanosensory apparatus? How are the cellular pathways of cell wall synthesis, assembly, modification, and integrity sensing linked in plants? Why do plasmodesmata open and close? Is there retrograde signaling from vacuoles to the nucleus? How do root cells accommodate fungal endosymbionts? What is the role of cell edges in plant morphogenesis? How is the cell division site determined? What are the emergent effects of polyploidy on the biology of the cell, and how are any such "rules" conditioned by cell type? Can mechanical forces trigger new cell fates in plants? How does a single differentiated somatic cell reprogram and gain pluripotency? How does polarity develop de-novo in isolated plant cells? What is the spectrum of cellular functions for membraneless organelles and intrinsically disordered proteins? How do plants deal with internal noise? How does order emerge in cells and propagate to organs and organisms from complex dynamical processes? We hope you find the discussions of these questions thought provoking and inspiring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne H K Roeder
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology and School of Integrative Plant Science, Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Marisa S Otegui
- Department of Botany and Center for Quantitative Cell Imaging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Ram Dixit
- Department of Biology and Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Charles T Anderson
- Department of Biology and Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Christine Faulkner
- Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | | | - Charlotte Kirchhelle
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
- Laboratoire de Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCBL, INRAE, CNRS, Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Gohta Goshima
- Sugashima Marine Biological Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Jeremy E Coate
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, Oregon 97202, USA
| | - Jeff J Doyle
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Section of Plant Biology and Section of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Olivier Hamant
- Laboratoire de Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCBL, INRAE, CNRS, Lyon Cedex 07, France
| | - Keiko Sugimoto
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Liam Dolan
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology GmbH, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Heather Meyer
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - David W Ehrhardt
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Arezki Boudaoud
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau Cedex 91128 France
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21
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Scholl D, Deniz AA. Conformational Freedom and Topological Confinement of Proteins in Biomolecular Condensates. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167348. [PMID: 34767801 PMCID: PMC8748313 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of biomolecular condensation and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) introduces a new layer of complexity into our understanding of cell and molecular biology. Evidence steadily grows indicating that condensates are not only implicated in physiology but also human disease. Macro- and mesoscale characterization of condensates as a whole have been instrumental in understanding their biological functions and dysfunctions. By contrast, the molecular level characterization of condensates and how condensates modify the properties of the molecules that constitute them thus far remain comparably scarce. In this minireview we summarize and discuss the findings of several recent studies that have focused on structure, dynamics, and interactions of proteins undergoing condensation. The mechanistic insights they provide help us identify the relevant properties nature and scientists can leverage to modulate the behavior of condensate systems. We also discuss the unique environment of the droplet surface and speculate on effects of topological constraints and physical exclusion on condensate properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Scholl
- Department of Integrative and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States. https://twitter.com/@DanielScholl_be
| | - Ashok A Deniz
- Department of Integrative and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States.
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22
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Reinkemeier CD, Lemke EA. Condensed, microtubule-coating thin organelles for orthogonal translation in mammalian cells. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167454. [PMID: 35033560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles are capable of selectively performing complex tasks in living cells despite dynamically exchanging with their surroundings. This is an exquisite example how self-organization of proteins and RNAs can lead to more complex functionalities in living systems. Importantly, the absence of a membrane boundary can enable easier access to larger macromolecular complexes that can be challenging to be transported across a membrane. We previously formed orthogonally translating designer membraneless organelles by combining phase separation with kinesin motor proteins to highly enrich engineered translational factors in large organelles. We also showed that even submicron thick designer organelles can be formed, by mounting them onto membranes, which, presumable assisted by 2D condensation, leads to thin film-like condensates. In this study we show that orthogonal translation can also be built with fiber-like appearing organelles. Here, the microtubule-end binding protein EB1 was used to form fiber-like OT organelles along the microtubule cytoskeleton that perform highly selective and efficient orthogonal translation. We also show an improved simplified design of OT organelles. Together this extends OT technology and demonstrates that the microtubule cytoskeleton is a powerful platform for advanced synthetic organelle engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Reinkemeier
- Biocentre, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Structural and Computational Biology Unit and Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Edward A Lemke
- Biocentre, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Structural and Computational Biology Unit and Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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23
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Currie SL, Rosen MK. Using quantitative reconstitution to investigate multicomponent condensates. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:27-35. [PMID: 34772789 PMCID: PMC8675290 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079008.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Many biomolecular condensates are thought to form via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of multivalent macromolecules. For those that form through this mechanism, our understanding has benefitted significantly from biochemical reconstitutions of key components and activities. Reconstitutions of RNA-based condensates to date have mostly been based on relatively simple collections of molecules. However, proteomics and sequencing data indicate that natural RNA-based condensates are enriched in hundreds to thousands of different components, and genetic data suggest multiple interactions can contribute to condensate formation to varying degrees. In this Perspective, we describe recent progress in understanding RNA-based condensates through different levels of biochemical reconstitutions as a means to bridge the gap between simple in vitro reconstitution and cellular analyses. Complex reconstitutions provide insight into the formation, regulation, and functions of multicomponent condensates. We focus on two RNA-protein condensate case studies: stress granules and RNA processing bodies (P bodies), and examine the evidence for cooperative interactions among multiple components promoting LLPS. An important concept emerging from these studies is that composition and stoichiometry regulate biochemical activities within condensates. Based on the lessons learned from stress granules and P bodies, we discuss forward-looking approaches to understand the thermodynamic relationships between condensate components, with the goal of developing predictive models of composition and material properties, and their effects on biochemical activities. We anticipate that quantitative reconstitutions will facilitate understanding of the complex thermodynamics and functions of diverse RNA-protein condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon L Currie
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Michael K Rosen
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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24
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Holehouse AS, Ginell GM, Griffith D, Böke E. Clustering of Aromatic Residues in Prion-like Domains Can Tune the Formation, State, and Organization of Biomolecular Condensates. Biochemistry 2021; 60:3566-3581. [PMID: 34784177 PMCID: PMC8638251 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In immature oocytes, Balbiani bodies are conserved membraneless condensates implicated in oocyte polarization, the organization of mitochondria, and long-term organelle and RNA storage. In Xenopus laevis, Balbiani body assembly is mediated by the protein Velo1. Velo1 contains an N-terminal prion-like domain (PLD) that is essential for Balbiani body formation. PLDs have emerged as a class of intrinsically disordered regions that can undergo various different types of intracellular phase transitions and are often associated with dynamic, liquid-like condensates. Intriguingly, the Velo1 PLD forms solid-like assemblies. Here we sought to understand why Velo1 phase behavior appears to be biophysically distinct from that of other PLD-containing proteins. Through bioinformatic analysis and coarse-grained simulations, we predict that the clustering of aromatic residues and the amino acid composition of residues between aromatics can influence condensate material properties, organization, and the driving forces for assembly. To test our predictions, we redesigned the Velo1 PLD to test the impact of targeted sequence changes in vivo. We found that the Velo1 design with evenly spaced aromatic residues shows rapid internal dynamics, as probed by fluorescent recovery after photobleaching, even when recruited into Balbiani bodies. Our results suggest that Velo1 might have been selected in evolution for distinctly clustered aromatic residues to maintain the structure of Balbiani bodies in long-lived oocytes. In general, our work identifies several tunable parameters that can be used to augment the condensate material state, offering a road map for the design of synthetic condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S. Holehouse
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
- Center
for Science and Engineering Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Garrett M. Ginell
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
- Center
for Science and Engineering Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Daniel Griffith
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
- Center
for Science and Engineering Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Elvan Böke
- Centre
for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona
Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- Universitat
Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona 08002, Spain
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25
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Geiger F, Acker J, Papa G, Wang X, Arter WE, Saar KL, Erkamp NA, Qi R, Bravo JPK, Strauss S, Krainer G, Burrone OR, Jungmann R, Knowles TPJ, Engelke H, Borodavka A. Liquid-liquid phase separation underpins the formation of replication factories in rotaviruses. EMBO J 2021; 40:e107711. [PMID: 34524703 PMCID: PMC8561643 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021107711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA viruses induce the formation of subcellular organelles that provide microenvironments conducive to their replication. Here we show that replication factories of rotaviruses represent protein-RNA condensates that are formed via liquid-liquid phase separation of the viroplasm-forming proteins NSP5 and rotavirus RNA chaperone NSP2. Upon mixing, these proteins readily form condensates at physiologically relevant low micromolar concentrations achieved in the cytoplasm of virus-infected cells. Early infection stage condensates could be reversibly dissolved by 1,6-hexanediol, as well as propylene glycol that released rotavirus transcripts from these condensates. During the early stages of infection, propylene glycol treatments reduced viral replication and phosphorylation of the condensate-forming protein NSP5. During late infection, these condensates exhibited altered material properties and became resistant to propylene glycol, coinciding with hyperphosphorylation of NSP5. Some aspects of the assembly of cytoplasmic rotavirus replication factories mirror the formation of other ribonucleoprotein granules. Such viral RNA-rich condensates that support replication of multi-segmented genomes represent an attractive target for developing novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Geiger
- Department of ChemistryLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
| | - Julia Acker
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Guido Papa
- International Center for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyTriesteItaly
- Present address:
Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB)CambridgeUK
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | | | - Kadi L Saar
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Nadia A Erkamp
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Runzhang Qi
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Jack PK Bravo
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Present address:
Department of Molecular BiosciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTXUSA
| | - Sebastian Strauss
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoscienceMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMunichGermany
| | - Georg Krainer
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Oscar R Burrone
- International Center for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyTriesteItaly
| | - Ralf Jungmann
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoscienceMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMunichGermany
| | | | - Hanna Engelke
- Department of ChemistryLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesKarl‐Franzens‐Universität GrazGrazAustria
| | - Alexander Borodavka
- Department of ChemistryLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Physics and Center for NanoscienceMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMunichGermany
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26
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Synthetic biomolecular condensates to engineer eukaryotic cells. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 64:174-181. [PMID: 34600419 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The compartmentalization of specific functions into specialized organelles is a key feature of eukaryotic life. In particular, dynamic biomolecular condensates that are not membrane enclosed offer exciting opportunities for synthetic biology. In recent years, multiple approaches to generate and control condensates have been reported. Notably, multiple orthogonally translating organelles were designed that enable precise protein engineering inside living cells. Despite being built from only very few components, orthogonal translation can be engineered with subresolution precision at different places inside the same cell to create mammalian cells with multiple expanded genetic codes. This provides a pathway to engineer multiple proteins with multiple and distinct functionalities inside living eukaryotes and provides a general strategy toward spatially orthogonal enzyme engineering.
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27
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Dorone Y, Boeynaems S, Flores E, Jin B, Hateley S, Bossi F, Lazarus E, Pennington JG, Michiels E, De Decker M, Vints K, Baatsen P, Bassel GW, Otegui MS, Holehouse AS, Exposito-Alonso M, Sukenik S, Gitler AD, Rhee SY. A prion-like protein regulator of seed germination undergoes hydration-dependent phase separation. Cell 2021; 184:4284-4298.e27. [PMID: 34233164 PMCID: PMC8513799 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Many organisms evolved strategies to survive desiccation. Plant seeds protect dehydrated embryos from various stressors and can lay dormant for millennia. Hydration is the key trigger to initiate germination, but the mechanism by which seeds sense water remains unresolved. We identified an uncharacterized Arabidopsis thaliana prion-like protein we named FLOE1, which phase separates upon hydration and allows the embryo to sense water stress. We demonstrate that biophysical states of FLOE1 condensates modulate its biological function in vivo in suppressing seed germination under unfavorable environments. We find intragenic, intraspecific, and interspecific natural variation in FLOE1 expression and phase separation and show that intragenic variation is associated with adaptive germination strategies in natural populations. This combination of molecular, organismal, and ecological studies uncovers FLOE1 as a tunable environmental sensor with direct implications for the design of drought-resistant crops, in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanniv Dorone
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eduardo Flores
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, UC Merced, Merced, CA 95340, USA
| | - Benjamin Jin
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shannon Hateley
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Flavia Bossi
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elena Lazarus
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Janice G Pennington
- Center for Quantitative Cell Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Emiel Michiels
- EM-platform@VIB Bio Imaging Core and VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathias De Decker
- EM-platform@VIB Bio Imaging Core and VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katlijn Vints
- EM-platform@VIB Bio Imaging Core and VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Baatsen
- EM-platform@VIB Bio Imaging Core and VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - George W Bassel
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marisa S Otegui
- Center for Quantitative Cell Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Moises Exposito-Alonso
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shahar Sukenik
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, UC Merced, Merced, CA 95340, USA
| | - Aaron D Gitler
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Seung Y Rhee
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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28
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Elbaum-Garfinkle S, Kriwacki RW. Phase Separation in Biology & Disease: The next chapter. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166990. [PMID: 33857471 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, Biochemistry, The Graduate Center CUNY, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, United States.
| | - Richard W Kriwacki
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, United States.
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