1
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King MR, Ruff KM, Pappu RV. Emergent microenvironments of nucleoli. Nucleus 2024; 15:2319957. [PMID: 38443761 PMCID: PMC10936679 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2319957] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In higher eukaryotes, the nucleolus harbors at least three sub-phases that facilitate multiple functionalities including ribosome biogenesis. The three prominent coexisting sub-phases are the fibrillar center (FC), the dense fibrillar component (DFC), and the granular component (GC). Here, we review recent efforts in profiling sub-phase compositions that shed light on the types of physicochemical properties that emerge from compositional biases and territorial organization of specific types of macromolecules. We highlight roles played by molecular grammars which refers to protein sequence features including the substrate binding domains, the sequence features of intrinsically disordered regions, and the multivalence of these distinct types of domains / regions. We introduce the concept of a barcode of emergent physicochemical properties of nucleoli. Although our knowledge of the full barcode remains incomplete, we hope that the concept prompts investigations into undiscovered emergent properties and engenders an appreciation for how and why unique microenvironments control biochemical reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. King
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus, MO, USA
| | - Kiersten M. Ruff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus, MO, USA
| | - Rohit V. Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus, MO, USA
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2
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Lee S, Jung DM, Kim EM, Kim KK. Establishments of G3BP1-GFP stress granule monitoring system for real-time stress assessment in human neuroblastoma cells. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 361:142485. [PMID: 38821132 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142485] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Acute stress caused by short-term exposure to deleterious chemicals can induce the aggregation of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the cytosol and the formation of stress granules (SGs). The cytoplasmic RBP, Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) is a critical organizer of SG, and its aggregation is considered a hallmark of cellular stress. However, assembly of SG is a highly dynamic process that involves RBPs; hence, existing methods based on fixation processes or overexpression of RBPs exhibit limited efficacy in detecting the assembly of SG under stress conditions. In this study, we established a G3BP1- Green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter protein in a human neuroblastoma cell line to overcome these limitations. GFP was introduced into the G3BP1 genomic sequence via homologous recombination to generate a G3BP1-GFP fusion protein and further analyze the aggregation processes. We validated the assembly of SG under stress conditions using the G3BP1-GFP reporter system. Additionally, this system supported the evaluation of bisphenol A-induced SG response in the established human neuroblastoma cell line. In conclusion, the established G3BP1-GFP reporter system enables us to monitor the assembly of the SG complex in a human neuroblastoma cell line in real time and can serve as an efficient tool for assessing potential neurotoxicity associated with short-term exposure to chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangsoo Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Min Jung
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Mi Kim
- Department of Bio and Environmental Technology, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul, 01797, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kee K Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Tian X, Ai J, Tian X, Wei X. cGAS-STING pathway agonists are promising vaccine adjuvants. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:1768-1799. [PMID: 38323921 DOI: 10.1002/med.22016] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Adjuvants are of critical value in vaccine development as they act on enhancing immunogenicity of antigen and inducing long-lasting immunity. However, there are only a few adjuvants that have been approved for clinical use, which highlights the need for exploring and developing new adjuvants to meet the growing demand for vaccination. Recently, emerging evidence demonstrates that the cGAS-STING pathway orchestrates innate and adaptive immunity by generating type I interferon responses. Many cGAS-STING pathway agonists have been developed and tested in preclinical research for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases with promising results. As adjuvants, cGAS-STING agonists have demonstrated their potential to activate robust defense immunity in various diseases, including COVID-19 infection. This review summarized the current developments in the field of cGAS-STING agonists with a special focus on the latest applications of cGAS-STING agonists as adjuvants in vaccination. Potential challenges were also discussed in the hope of sparking future research interests to further the development of cGAS-STING as vaccine adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Tian
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Jiayuan Ai
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohe Tian
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
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4
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Barkley RJR, Crowley JC, Brodrick AJ, Zipfel WR, Parker JSL. Fluorescent protein tags affect the condensation properties of a phase-separating viral protein. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar100. [PMID: 38809580 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-01-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent protein (FP) tags are extensively used to visualize and characterize the properties of biomolecular condensates despite a lack of investigation into the effects of these tags on phase separation. Here, we characterized the dynamic properties of µNS, a viral protein hypothesized to undergo phase separation and the main component of mammalian orthoreovirus viral factories. Our interest in the sequence determinants and nucleation process of µNS phase separation led us to compare the size and density of condensates formed by FP::µNS to the untagged protein. We found an FP-dependent increase in droplet size and density, which suggests that FP tags can promote µNS condensation. To further assess the effect of FP tags on µNS droplet formation, we fused FP tags to µNS mutants to show that the tags could variably induce phase separation of otherwise noncondensing proteins. By comparing fluorescent constructs with untagged µNS, we identified mNeonGreen as the least artifactual FP tag that minimally perturbed µNS condensation. These results show that FP tags can promote phase separation and that some tags are more suitable for visualizing and characterizing biomolecular condensates with minimal experimental artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell J R Barkley
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - Jack C Crowley
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, College of Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - Andrew J Brodrick
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - Warren R Zipfel
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, College of Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - John S L Parker
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
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5
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Bradley D, Garand C, Belda H, Gagnon-Arsenault I, Treeck M, Elowe S, Landry CR. The substrate quality of CK2 target sites has a determinant role on their function and evolution. Cell Syst 2024; 15:544-562.e8. [PMID: 38861992 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.05.005] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Most biological processes are regulated by signaling modules that bind to short linear motifs. For protein kinases, substrates may have full or only partial matches to the kinase recognition motif, a property known as "substrate quality." However, it is not clear whether differences in substrate quality represent neutral variation or if they have functional consequences. We examine this question for the kinase CK2, which has many fundamental functions. We show that optimal CK2 sites are phosphorylated at maximal stoichiometries and found in many conditions, whereas minimal substrates are more weakly phosphorylated and have regulatory functions. Optimal CK2 sites tend to be more conserved, and substrate quality is often tuned by selection. For intermediate sites, increases or decreases in substrate quality may be deleterious, as we demonstrate for a CK2 substrate at the kinetochore. The results together suggest a strong role for substrate quality in phosphosite function and evolution. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bradley
- Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche sur les Données Massives (CRDM), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Chantal Garand
- PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Axe de Reproduction, Santé de la mère et de l'enfant, CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Hugo Belda
- Signalling in Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW11AT, UK
| | - Isabelle Gagnon-Arsenault
- Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche sur les Données Massives (CRDM), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW11AT, UK; Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, The Gulbenkian Institute of Science, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
| | - Sabine Elowe
- PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Axe de Reproduction, Santé de la mère et de l'enfant, CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Centre de Recherche sur le Cancer, CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Christian R Landry
- Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche sur les Données Massives (CRDM), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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6
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Pamula MC, Lehmann R. How germ granules promote germ cell fate. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8. [PMID: 38890558 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Germ cells are the only cells in the body capable of giving rise to a new organism, and this totipotency hinges on their ability to assemble membraneless germ granules. These specialized RNA and protein complexes are hallmarks of germ cells throughout their life cycle: as embryonic germ granules in late oocytes and zygotes, Balbiani bodies in immature oocytes, and nuage in maturing gametes. Decades of developmental, genetic and biochemical studies have identified protein and RNA constituents unique to germ granules and have implicated these in germ cell identity, genome integrity and gamete differentiation. Now, emerging research is defining germ granules as biomolecular condensates that achieve high molecular concentrations by phase separation, and it is assigning distinct roles to germ granules during different stages of germline development. This organization of the germ cell cytoplasm into cellular subcompartments seems to be critical not only for the flawless continuity through the germline life cycle within the developing organism but also for the success of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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7
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Norrild RK, Mason TO, Boyens-Thiele L, Ray S, Mortensen JB, Fritsch AW, Iglesias-Artola JM, Klausen LK, Stender EGP, Jensen H, Buell AK. Taylor Dispersion-Induced Phase Separation for the Efficient Characterisation of Protein Condensate Formation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404018. [PMID: 38593269 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404018] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates have emerged as important structures in cellular function and disease, and are thought to form through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Thorough and efficient in vitro experiments are therefore needed to elucidate the driving forces of protein LLPS and the possibility to modulate it with drugs. Here we present Taylor dispersion-induced phase separation (TDIPS), a method to robustly measure condensation phenomena using a commercially available microfluidic platform. It uses only nanoliters of sample, does not require extrinsic fluorescent labels, and is straightforward to implement. We demonstrate TDIPS by screening the phase behaviour of two proteins that form biomolecular condensates in vivo, PGL-3 and Ddx4. Uniquely accessible to this method, we find an unexpected re-entrant behaviour at very low ionic strength, where LLPS is inhibited for both proteins. TDIPS can also probe the reversibility of assemblies, which was shown for both α-synuclein and for lysozyme, relevant for health and biotechnology, respectively. Finally, we highlight how effective inhibition concentrations and partitioning of LLPS-modifying compounds can be screened highly efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus K Norrild
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas O Mason
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars Boyens-Thiele
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Soumik Ray
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joachim B Mortensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anatol W Fritsch
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juan M Iglesias-Artola
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Louise K Klausen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Henrik Jensen
- FIDA Biosystems Aps, Generatorvej 6 A+B, 2860, Søborg, Denmark
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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8
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Cho N, Jung DM, Kim EM, Kim KK. Establishment of a stress granule reporter system for evaluating in vitro colon toxicity. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2024; 28:315-325. [PMID: 38895161 PMCID: PMC11185092 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2024.2364673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to toxic molecules from food or oral medications induces toxicity in colon cells that cause various human diseases; however, in vitro monitoring systems for colon cell toxicity are not well established. Stress granules are nonmembranous foci that form in cells exposed to cellular stress. When cells sense toxic environments, they acutely and systemically promote stress granule formation, with Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) acting as a core component to protect their mRNA from abnormal degradation. Here, we knocked in green fluorescent protein (GFP)-coding sequences into the C-terminal region of the G3BP1 gene in a human colon cell line through CRISPR-Cas9-mediated homologous recombination and confirmed the formation of stress granules with the G3BP1-GFP protein in these cells under cellular stress exposure. We demonstrated the formation and dissociation of stress granules in G3BP1-GFP expressing colon cells through real-time monitoring using a fluorescence microscope. Furthermore, we validated the toxicity monitoring system in the established colon cell line by observing stress granule formation following exposure to dihydrocapsaicin, bisphenol A, and sorbitol. Taken together, we established a stress granule reporter system in a colon cell line, providing a novel assessment for the real-time monitoring of colon toxicity in response to various chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namjoon Cho
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Min Jung
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Mi Kim
- Department of Bio and Environmental Technology, College of Natural Science, Seoul Women’s University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee K. Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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9
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Wang H, Zeng R. Aberrant protein aggregation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12485-z. [PMID: 38869826 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12485-z] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease. As its pathological mechanisms are not well understood, there are no efficient therapeutics for it at present. While it is highly heterogenous both etiologically and clinically, it has a common salient hallmark, i.e., aberrant protein aggregation (APA). The upstream pathogenesis and the downstream effects of APA in ALS are sophisticated and the investigation of this pathology would be of consequence for understanding ALS. In this paper, the pathomechanism of APA in ALS and the candidate treatment strategies for it are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaixiu Wang
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
- Beijing Ai-Si-Kang Medical Technology Co. Ltd., No. 18 11th St Economical & Technological Development Zone, Beijing, 100176, China.
| | - Rong Zeng
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
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10
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Song Y, Cui J, Zhu J, Kim B, Kuo ML, Potts PR. RNATACs: Multispecific small molecules targeting RNA by induced proximity. Cell Chem Biol 2024:S2451-9456(24)00207-1. [PMID: 38876100 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
RNA-targeting small molecules (rSMs) have become an attractive modality to tackle traditionally undruggable proteins and expand the druggable space. Among many innovative concepts, RNA-targeting chimeras (RNATACs) represent a new class of multispecific, induced proximity small molecules that act by chemically bringing RNA targets into proximity with an endogenous RNA effector, such as a ribonuclease (RNase). Depending on the RNA effector, RNATACs can alter the stability, localization, translation, or splicing of the target RNA. Although still in its infancy, this new modality has the potential for broad applications in the future to treat diseases with high unmet need. In this review, we discuss potential advantages of RNATACs, recent progress in the field, and challenges to this cutting-edge technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Song
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
| | - Jia Cui
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Jiaqiang Zhu
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Boseon Kim
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Mei-Ling Kuo
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Patrick Ryan Potts
- Induced Proximity Platform, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
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11
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Sahoo PK, Hanovice N, Ward P, Agrawal M, Smith TP, SiMa H, Dulin JN, Vaughn LS, Tuszynski M, Welshhans K, Benowitz L, English A, Houle JD, Twiss JL. Disruption of Core Stress Granule Protein Aggregates Promotes CNS Axon Regeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.07.597743. [PMID: 38895344 PMCID: PMC11185597 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.07.597743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Depletion or inhibition of core stress granule proteins, G3BP1 in mammals and TIAR-2 in C. elegans , increases axon regeneration in injured neurons that show spontaneous regeneration. Inhibition of G3BP1 by expression of its acidic or 'B-domain' accelerates axon regeneration after nerve injury bringing a potential therapeutic intervention to promote neural repair in the peripheral nervous system. Here, we asked if G3BP1 inhibition is a viable strategy to promote regeneration in the injured mammalian central nervous system where axons do not regenerate spontaneously. G3BP1 B-domain expression was found to promote axon regeneration in both the mammalian spinal cord and optic nerve. Moreover, a cell permeable peptide to a subregion of G3BP1's B-domain (rodent G3BP1 amino acids 190-208) accelerated axon regeneration after peripheral nerve injury and promoted the regrowth of reticulospinal axons into the distal transected spinal cord through a bridging peripheral nerve graft. The rodent and human G3BP1 peptides promoted axon growth from rodent and human neurons cultured on permissive substrates, and this function required alternating Glu/Asp-Pro repeats that impart a unique predicted tertiary structure. These studies point to G3BP1 granules as a critical impediment to CNS axon regeneration and indicate that G3BP1 granule disassembly represents a novel therapeutic strategy for promoting neural repair after CNS injury.
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12
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Choi CH, Lee DSW, Sanders DW, Brangwynne CP. Condensate interfaces can accelerate protein aggregation. Biophys J 2024; 123:1404-1413. [PMID: 37837191 PMCID: PMC11163288 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregates, formed from the assembly of aberrant, misfolded proteins, are a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Disease-associated aggregates such as mutant Huntingtin polyQ inclusions, are typically enriched in p62/SQSTM1, an oligomeric protein that binds to and sequesters aberrant proteins. p62 has been suggested to sequester proteins through formation of liquid-like biomolecular condensates, but the physical mechanisms by which p62 condensates may regulate pathological protein aggregation remain unclear. Here, we use a light-inducible biomimetic condensate system to show that p62 condensates enhance coarsening of mutant polyQ aggregates through interface-mediated sequestration, which accelerates polyQ accumulation into larger aggregates. However, the resulting large aggregates accumulate polyubiquitinated proteins, which depletes free p62, ultimately suppressing further p62 condensation. This dynamic interplay between interface-mediated coarsening of solid aggregates and downstream consequences on the phase behavior of associated regulatory proteins could contribute to the onset and progression of protein aggregation diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hyun Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Daniel S W Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - David W Sanders
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Clifford P Brangwynne
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland.
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13
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Chauhan G, Bremer A, Dar F, Mittag T, Pappu RV. Crowder titrations enable the quantification of driving forces for macromolecular phase separation. Biophys J 2024; 123:1376-1392. [PMID: 37717144 PMCID: PMC11163301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.006] [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] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Macromolecular solubility is an important contributor to the driving forces for phase separation. Formally, the driving forces in a binary mixture comprising a macromolecule dissolved in a solvent can be quantified in terms of the saturation concentration, which is the threshold macromolecular concentration above which the mixture separates into coexisting dense and dilute phases. In addition, the second virial coefficient, which measures the effective strength of solvent-mediated intermolecular interactions provides direct assessments of solvent quality. The sign and magnitude of second virial coefficients will be governed by a combination of solution conditions and the nature of the macromolecule of interest. Here, we show, using a combination of theory, simulation, and in vitro experiments, that titrations of crowders, providing they are true depletants, can be used to extract the intrinsic driving forces for macromolecular phase separation. This refers to saturation concentrations in the absence of crowders and the second virial coefficients that quantify the magnitude of the incompatibility between macromolecules and the solvent. Our results show how the depletion-mediated attractions afforded by crowders can be leveraged to obtain comparative assessments of macromolecule-specific, intrinsic driving forces for phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Chauhan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Anne Bremer
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Furqan Dar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Tanja Mittag
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Rohit V Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
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14
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Kwon E, Jung DM, Kim EM, Kim KK. A new G3BP1-GFP reporter system for assessing skin toxicity by real-time monitoring of stress granules in vitro. Toxicol Lett 2024; 397:48-54. [PMID: 38734221 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.05.007] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The skin, the organ with the largest surface area in the body, is the most susceptible to chemical exposure from the external environment. In this study, we aimed to establish an in vitro skin toxicity monitoring system that utilizes the mechanism of stress granule (SG) formation induced by various cellular stresses. In HaCaT cells, a keratinocyte cell line that comprises the human skin, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) was knocked in at the C-terminal genomic locus of Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1), a representative component of SGs. The G3BP1-GFP knock-in HaCaT cells and wild-type (WT) HaCaT cells formed SGs containing G3BP1-GFP upon exposure to arsenite and household chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and benzalkonium chloride (BAC), in real-time. In addition, the exposure of G3BP1-GFP knock-in HaCaT cells to BPA and BAC promoted the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, which are cell signaling factors involved in SG formation, similar to WT HaCaT cells. In conclusion, this novel G3BP1-GFP knock-in human skin cell system can monitor SG formation in real-time and be utilized to assess skin toxicity to various substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunhye Kwon
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Min Jung
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Mi Kim
- Department of Bio and Environmental Technology, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kee K Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Wang B, Pareek G, Kundu M. ULK/Atg1: phasing in and out of autophagy. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:494-505. [PMID: 38565496 PMCID: PMC11162330 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.03.004] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy - a highly regulated intracellular degradation process - is pivotal in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a fundamental mechanism regulating the formation and function of membrane-less compartments. Recent research has unveiled connections between LLPS and autophagy, suggesting that phase separation events may orchestrate the spatiotemporal organization of autophagic machinery and cargo sequestration. The Unc-51-like kinase (ULK)/autophagy-related 1 (Atg1) family of proteins is best known for its regulatory role in initiating autophagy, but there is growing evidence that the functional spectrum of ULK/Atg1 extends beyond autophagy regulation. In this review, we explore the spatial and temporal regulation of the ULK/Atg1 family of kinases, focusing on their recruitment to LLPS-driven compartments, and highlighting their multifaceted functions beyond their traditional role.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Gautam Pareek
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Mondira Kundu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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16
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Liu S, Zhang X, Yao X, Wang G, Huang S, Chen P, Tang M, Cai J, Wu Z, Zhang Y, Xu R, Liu K, He K, Wang Y, Jiang L, Wang QA, Rui L, Liu J, Liu Y. Mammalian IRE1α dynamically and functionally coalesces with stress granules. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:917-931. [PMID: 38714852 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01418-7] [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] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Upon endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, activation of the ER-resident transmembrane protein kinase/endoribonuclease inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) initiates a key branch of the unfolded protein response (UPR) through unconventional splicing generation of the transcription factor X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1s). Activated IRE1 can form large clusters/foci, whose exact dynamic architectures and functional properties remain largely elusive. Here we report that, in mammalian cells, formation of IRE1α clusters is an ER membrane-bound phase separation event that is coupled to the assembly of stress granules (SGs). In response to different stressors, IRE1α clusters are dynamically tethered to SGs at the ER. The cytosolic linker portion of IRE1α possesses intrinsically disordered regions and is essential for its condensation with SGs. Furthermore, disruption of SG assembly abolishes IRE1α clustering and compromises XBP1 mRNA splicing, and such IRE1α-SG coalescence engenders enrichment of the biochemical components of the pro-survival IRE1α-XBP1 pathway during ER stress. Our findings unravel a phase transition mechanism for the spatiotemporal assembly of IRE1α-SG condensates to establish a more efficient IRE1α machinery, thus enabling higher stress-handling capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songzi Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoge Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Yao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guan Wang
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Shijia Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingliang Tang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Cai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Research Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhuyin Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiliang Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rongzhi Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kangmin He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Qiong A Wang
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Liangyou Rui
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jianmiao Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences; the Institute for Advanced Studies; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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17
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Liu D, Yang J, Cristea IM. Liquid-liquid phase separation in innate immunity. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:454-469. [PMID: 38762334 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2024.04.009] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Intrinsic and innate immune responses are essential lines of defense in the body's constant surveillance of pathogens. The discovery of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) as a key regulator of this primal response to infection brings an updated perspective to our understanding of cellular defense mechanisms. Here, we review the emerging multifaceted role of LLPS in diverse aspects of mammalian innate immunity, including DNA and RNA sensing and inflammasome activity. We discuss the intricate regulation of LLPS by post-translational modifications (PTMs), and the subversive tactics used by viruses to antagonize LLPS. This Review, therefore, underscores the significance of LLPS as a regulatory node that offers rapid and plastic control over host immune signaling, representing a promising target for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University; Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jinhang Yang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University; Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Ileana M Cristea
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University; Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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18
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Dai Z, Yang X. The regulation of liquid-liquid phase separated condensates containing nucleic acids. FEBS J 2024; 291:2320-2331. [PMID: 37735903 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16959] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has been recognized as a universal biological phenomenon. It plays an important role in life activities. LLPS is induced by weak interactions between intrinsically disordered regions or low complex domains. Nucleic acids are widely present in cells, and shown to be closely related to LLPS. Their structure and electronegativity provide the excellent platforms for the formation of phase-separated condensates. In this review, we summarize the interconnected regulation between nucleic acids and LLPS demonstrated in in vivo and in vitro studies. Beside homogeneous and single-phase condensates, complicated and multicompartment LLPS induced by nucleic acids is discussed as well. Recent advances about nucleic-acid-induced LLPS as a new pathogenic mechanism and drug design direction are highlighted, especially virus-mediated disease treatment and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuojun Dai
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaorong Yang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Buchan JR. Stress granule and P-body clearance: Seeking coherence in acts of disappearance. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 159-160:10-26. [PMID: 38278052 PMCID: PMC10939798 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.01.002] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Stress granules and P-bodies are conserved cytoplasmic biomolecular condensates whose assembly and composition are well documented, but whose clearance mechanisms remain controversial or poorly described. Such understanding could provide new insight into how cells regulate biomolecular condensate formation and function, and identify therapeutic strategies in disease states where aberrant persistence of stress granules in particular is implicated. Here, I review and compare the contributions of chaperones, the cytoskeleton, post-translational modifications, RNA helicases, granulophagy and the proteasome to stress granule and P-body clearance. Additionally, I highlight the potentially vital role of RNA regulation, cellular energy, and changes in the interaction networks of stress granules and P-bodies as means of eliciting clearance. Finally, I discuss evidence for interplay of distinct clearance mechanisms, suggest future experimental directions, and suggest a simple working model of stress granule clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ross Buchan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85716, United States.
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20
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Bonsor M, Ammar O, Schnoegl S, Wanker EE, Silva Ramos E. Polyglutamine disease proteins: Commonalities and differences in interaction profiles and pathological effects. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300114. [PMID: 38615323 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300114] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Currently, nine polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion diseases are known. They include spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 17), spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and Huntington's disease (HD). At the root of these neurodegenerative diseases are trinucleotide repeat mutations in coding regions of different genes, which lead to the production of proteins with elongated polyQ tracts. While the causative proteins differ in structure and molecular mass, the expanded polyQ domains drive pathogenesis in all these diseases. PolyQ tracts mediate the association of proteins leading to the formation of protein complexes involved in gene expression regulation, RNA processing, membrane trafficking, and signal transduction. In this review, we discuss commonalities and differences among the nine polyQ proteins focusing on their structure and function as well as the pathological features of the respective diseases. We present insights from AlphaFold-predicted structural models and discuss the biological roles of polyQ-containing proteins. Lastly, we explore reported protein-protein interaction networks to highlight shared protein interactions and their potential relevance in disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Bonsor
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Orchid Ammar
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sigrid Schnoegl
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Silva Ramos
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
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21
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Yoshioka D, Nakamura T, Kubota Y, Takekawa M. Formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome inhibits stress granule assembly by multiple mechanisms. J Biochem 2024; 175:629-641. [PMID: 38299728 PMCID: PMC11155693 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvae009] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Proper regulation of cellular response to environmental stress is crucial for maintaining biological homeostasis and is achieved by the balance between cell death processes, such as the formation of the pyroptosis-inducing NLRP3 inflammasome, and pro-survival processes, such as stress granule (SG) assembly. However, the functional interplay between these two stress-responsive organelles remains elusive. Here, we identified DHX33, a viral RNA sensor for the NLRP3 inflammasome, as a SG component, and the SG-nucleating protein G3BP as an NLRP3 inflammasome component. We also found that a decrease in intracellular potassium (K+) concentration, a key 'common' step in NLRP3 inflammasome activation, markedly inhibited SG assembly. Therefore, when macrophages are exposed to stress stimuli with the potential to induce both SGs and the NLRP3 inflammasome, such as cytoplasmic poly(I:C) stimulation, they preferentially form the NLRP3 inflammasome but avoid SG assembly by sequestering G3BP into the inflammasome and by inducing a reduction in intracellular K+ levels. Thus, under such conditions, DHX33 is primarily utilized as a viral RNA sensor for the inflammasome. Our data reveal the functional crosstalk between NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and SG-mediated cell survival pathways and delineate a molecular mechanism that regulates cell-fate decisions and anti-viral innate immunity under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Yoshioka
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8583, Japan
| | - Takanori Nakamura
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Yuji Kubota
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Mutsuhiro Takekawa
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8583, Japan
- Medical Proteomics Laboratory, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
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22
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Chen Y, Pei X, Chen L, Chen L. A dynamic regulatory switch for phase separation of FUS protein: Zinc ions and zinc finger domain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 710:149862. [PMID: 38593618 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149862] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Zinc is an important trace element in the human body, and its homeostasis is closely related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Cytoplasmic FUS proteins from patients with ALS aggregate their important pathologic markers. Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of FUS can lead to its aggregation. However, whether and how zinc homeostasis affects the aggregation of disease-associated FUS proteins in the cytoplasm remains unclear. Here, we found that zinc ion enhances LLPS and promotes the aggregation in the cytoplasm for FUS protein. In the FUS, the cysteine of the zinc finger (ZnF), recognizes and binds to zinc ions, reducing droplet mobility and enhancing protein aggregation in the cytoplasm. The mutation of FUS cysteine disrupts the dynamic regulatory switch of zinc ions and ZnF, resulting in insensitivity to zinc ions. These results suggest that the dynamic regulation of LLPS by binding with zinc ions may be a widespread mechanism and provide a new understanding of neurological diseases such as ALS and other ZnF protein-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yatao Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoying Pei
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liming Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China; Cancer Institute, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
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23
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Zhang X, Han L, Hou J, Yang H, Xu H, Li G, Shu Q, Zhu D, Zheng Y, Gao C. Stress granule-localized USP8 potentiates cGAS-mediated type I interferonopathies through deubiquitination of DDX3X. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114248. [PMID: 38795350 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114248] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to trigger downstream signaling upon double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) stimulation, and the condensed cGAS colocalizes with stress granules (SGs). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the modulation of cGAS activation by SGs remains elusive. In this study, we show that USP8 is localized to SGs upon dsDNA stimulation and potentiates cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling. A USP8 inhibitor ameliorates pathological inflammation in Trex1-/- mice. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) databases indicate a positive correlation between USP8 expression and SLE. Mechanistic study shows that the SG protein DDX3X promotes cGAS phase separation and activation in a manner dependent on its intrinsic LLPS. USP8 cleaves K27-linked ubiquitin chains from the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of DDX3X to enhance its condensation. In conclusion, we demonstrate that USP8 catalyzes the deubiquitination of DDX3X to facilitate cGAS condensation and activation and that inhibiting USP8 is a promising strategy for alleviating cGAS-mediated autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Lulu Han
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Jinxiu Hou
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Huiyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Haiyan Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Guosheng Li
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Qiang Shu
- Department of Rheumatology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Deyu Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
| | - Chengjiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province & Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
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24
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Yan X, Kuster D, Mohanty P, Nijssen J, Pombo-García K, Rizuan A, Franzmann TM, Sergeeva A, Passos PM, George L, Wang SH, Shenoy J, Danielson HL, Honigmann A, Ayala YM, Fawzi NL, Mittal J, Alberti S, Hyman AA. Intra-condensate demixing of TDP-43 inside stress granules generates pathological aggregates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576837. [PMID: 38328053 PMCID: PMC10849624 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Cytosolic aggregation of the nuclear protein TDP-43 is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, but the triggers for TDP-43 aggregation are still debated. Here, we demonstrate that TDP-43 aggregation requires a double event. One is up-concentration in stress granules beyond a threshold, and the other is oxidative stress. These two events collectively induce intra-condensate demixing, giving rise to a dynamic TDP-43 enriched phase within stress granules, which subsequently transitions into pathological aggregates. Mechanistically, intra-condensate demixing is triggered by local unfolding of the RRM1 domain for intermolecular disulfide bond formation and by increased hydrophobic patch interactions in the C-terminal domain. By engineering TDP-43 variants resistant to intra-condensate demixing, we successfully eliminate pathological TDP-43 aggregates in cells. We conclude that up-concentration inside condensates and simultaneous exposure to environmental stress could be a general pathway for protein aggregation, with intra-condensate demixing constituting a key intermediate step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yan
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - David Kuster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Priyesh Mohanty
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Jik Nijssen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Karina Pombo-García
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Azamat Rizuan
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
| | - Titus M. Franzmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Aleksandra Sergeeva
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Patricia M. Passos
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Leah George
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Szu-Huan Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Jayakrishna Shenoy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Helen L. Danielson
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Alf Honigmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Yuna M. Ayala
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Nicolas L. Fawzi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Jeetain Mittal
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
| | - Simon Alberti
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Anthony A. Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- Lead contact
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25
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Kar M, Vogel LT, Chauhan G, Felekyan S, Ausserwöger H, Welsh TJ, Dar F, Kamath AR, Knowles TPJ, Hyman AA, Seidel CAM, Pappu RV. Solutes unmask differences in clustering versus phase separation of FET proteins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4408. [PMID: 38782886 PMCID: PMC11116469 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48775-3] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Phase separation and percolation contribute to phase transitions of multivalent macromolecules. Contributions of percolation are evident through the viscoelasticity of condensates and through the formation of heterogeneous distributions of nano- and mesoscale pre-percolation clusters in sub-saturated solutions. Here, we show that clusters formed in sub-saturated solutions of FET (FUS-EWSR1-TAF15) proteins are affected differently by glutamate versus chloride. These differences on the nanoscale, gleaned using a suite of methods deployed across a wide range of protein concentrations, are prevalent and can be unmasked even though the driving forces for phase separation remain unchanged in glutamate versus chloride. Strikingly, differences in anion-mediated interactions that drive clustering saturate on the micron-scale. Beyond this length scale the system separates into coexisting phases. Overall, we find that sequence-encoded interactions, mediated by solution components, make synergistic and distinct contributions to the formation of pre-percolation clusters in sub-saturated solutions, and to the driving forces for phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrityunjoy Kar
- Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Laura T Vogel
- Department of Molecular Physical Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gaurav Chauhan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Suren Felekyan
- Department of Molecular Physical Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hannes Ausserwöger
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy J Welsh
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UK
| | - Furqan Dar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Anjana R Kamath
- Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1EW, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anthony A Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Claus A M Seidel
- Department of Molecular Physical Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Rohit V Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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26
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Watkins JM, Burke JM. A closer look at mammalian antiviral condensates. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20231296. [PMID: 38778761 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Several biomolecular condensates assemble in mammalian cells in response to viral infection. The most studied of these are stress granules (SGs), which have been proposed to promote antiviral innate immune signaling pathways, including the RLR-MAVS, the protein kinase R (PKR), and the OAS-RNase L pathways. However, recent studies have demonstrated that SGs either negatively regulate or do not impact antiviral signaling. Instead, the SG-nucleating protein, G3BP1, may function to perturb viral RNA biology by condensing viral RNA into viral-aggregated RNA condensates, thus explaining why viruses often antagonize G3BP1 or hijack its RNA condensing function. However, a recently identified condensate, termed double-stranded RNA-induced foci, promotes the activation of the PKR and OAS-RNase L antiviral pathways. In addition, SG-like condensates known as an RNase L-induced bodies (RLBs) have been observed during many viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2 and several flaviviruses. RLBs may function in promoting decay of cellular and viral RNA, as well as promoting ribosome-associated signaling pathways. Herein, we review these recent advances in the field of antiviral biomolecular condensates, and we provide perspective on the role of canonical SGs and G3BP1 during the antiviral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Monty Watkins
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, U.S.A
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Herbert Wertheim University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, U.S.A
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, U.S.A
| | - James M Burke
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, U.S.A
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Herbert Wertheim University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, U.S.A
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27
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Zhu L, Pan Y, Hua Z, Liu Y, Zhang X. Ionic Effect on the Microenvironment of Biomolecular Condensates. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:14307-14317. [PMID: 38722189 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecules such as proteins and RNA could organize to form condensates with distinct microenvironments through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Recent works have demonstrated that the microenvironment of biomolecular condensates plays a crucial role in mediating biological activities, such as the partition of biomolecules, and the subphase organization of the multiphasic condensates. Ions could influence the phase transition point of LLPS, following the Hofmeister series. However, the ion-specific effect on the microenvironment of biomolecular condensates remains unknown. In this study, we utilized fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and microrheology techniques to investigate the ion effect on the microenvironment of condensates. We found that ions significantly affect the microenvironment of biomolecular condensates: salting-in ions increase micropolarity and reduce the microviscosity of the condensate, while salting-out ions induce opposing effects. Furthermore, we manipulate the miscibility and multilayering behavior of condensates through ion-specific effects. In summary, our work provides the first quantitative survey of the microenvironment of protein condensates in the presence of ions from the Hofmeister series, demonstrating how ions impact micropolarity, microviscosity, and viscoelasticity of condensates. Our results bear implications on how membrane-less organelles would exhibit varying microenvironments in the presence of continuously changing cellular conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longchen Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, P. R. China
| | - Yifei Pan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, P. R. China
| | - Ziyi Hua
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, P. R. China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, P. R. China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou 310024, P. R. China
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28
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Mahboubi H, Yu H, Malca M, McCusty D, Stochaj U. Pifithrin-µ Induces Stress Granule Formation, Regulates Cell Survival, and Rewires Cellular Signaling. Cells 2024; 13:885. [PMID: 38891018 PMCID: PMC11172192 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110885] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Stress granules (SGs) are cytoplasmic protein-RNA condensates that assemble in response to various insults. SG production is driven by signaling pathways that are relevant to human disease. Compounds that modulate SG characteristics are therefore of clinical interest. Pifithrin-µ is a candidate anti-tumor agent that inhibits members of the hsp70 chaperone family. While hsp70s are required for granulostasis, the impact of pifithrin-µ on SG formation is unknown. (2) Methods: Using HeLa cells as model system, cell-based assays evaluated the effects of pifithrin-µ on cell viability. Quantitative Western blotting assessed cell signaling events and SG proteins. Confocal microscopy combined with quantitative image analyses examined multiple SG parameters. (3) Results: Pifithrin-µ induced bona fide SGs in the absence of exogenous stress. These SGs were dynamic; their properties were determined by the duration of pifithrin-µ treatment. The phosphorylation of eIF2α was mandatory to generate SGs upon pifithrin-µ exposure. Moreover, the formation of pifithrin-µ SGs was accompanied by profound changes in cell signaling. Pifithrin-µ reduced the activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase, whereas the pro-survival protein kinase Akt was activated. Long-term pifithrin-µ treatment caused a marked loss of cell viability. (4) Conclusions: Our study identified stress-related changes in cellular homeostasis that are elicited by pifithrin-µ. These insights are important knowledge for the appropriate therapeutic use of pifithrin-µ and related compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hicham Mahboubi
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada (H.Y.); (M.M.)
| | - Henry Yu
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada (H.Y.); (M.M.)
| | - Michael Malca
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada (H.Y.); (M.M.)
| | - David McCusty
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada (H.Y.); (M.M.)
| | - Ursula Stochaj
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada (H.Y.); (M.M.)
- Quantitative Life Sciences Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
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29
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Zhan W, Li Z, Zhang J, Liu Y, Liu G, Li B, Shen R, Jiang Y, Shang W, Gao S, Wu H, Wang Y, Chen W, Wang Z. Energy stress promotes P-bodies formation via lysine-63-linked polyubiquitination of HAX1. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00120-6. [PMID: 38769438 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Energy stress, characterized by the reduction of intracellular ATP, has been implicated in various diseases, including cancer. Here, we show that energy stress promotes the formation of P-bodies in a ubiquitin-dependent manner. Upon ATP depletion, the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM23 catalyzes lysine-63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination of HCLS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX1). HAX1 ubiquitination triggers its liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) and contributes to P-bodies assembly induced by energy stress. Ubiquitinated HAX1 also interacts with the essential P-body proteins, DDX6 and LSM14A, promoting their condensation. Moreover, we find that this TRIM23/HAX1 pathway is critical for the inhibition of global protein synthesis under energy stress conditions. Furthermore, high HAX1 ubiquitination, and increased cytoplasmic localization of TRIM23 along with elevated HAX1 levels, promotes colorectal cancer (CRC)-cell proliferation and correlates with poor prognosis in CRC patients. Our data not only elucidate a ubiquitination-dependent LLPS mechanism in RNP granules induced by energy stress but also propose a promising target for CRC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqi Zhan
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiyang Li
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Perioperative Stress and Protection, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Radiation Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, ZhengZhou University, ZhengZhou, Henan, China
| | - Guanglong Liu
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bingsong Li
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Rong Shen
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Perioperative Stress and Protection, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanjing Shang
- Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
| | - Shenjia Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Perioperative Stress and Protection, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Perioperative Stress and Protection, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya'nan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wankun Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Perioperative Stress and Protection, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhizhang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China.
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30
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Shang Z, Zhang S, Wang J, Zhou L, Zhang X, Billadeau DD, Yang P, Zhang L, Zhou F, Bai P, Jia D. TRIM25 predominately associates with anti-viral stress granules. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4127. [PMID: 38750080 PMCID: PMC11096359 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48596-4] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are induced by various environmental stressors, resulting in their compositional and functional heterogeneity. SGs play a crucial role in the antiviral process, owing to their potent translational repressive effects and ability to trigger signal transduction; however, it is poorly understood how these antiviral SGs differ from SGs induced by other environmental stressors. Here we identify that TRIM25, a known driver of the ubiquitination-dependent antiviral innate immune response, is a potent and critical marker of the antiviral SGs. TRIM25 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and co-condenses with the SG core protein G3BP1 in a dsRNA-dependent manner. The co-condensation of TRIM25 and G3BP1 results in a significant enhancement of TRIM25's ubiquitination activity towards multiple antiviral proteins, which are mainly located in SGs. This co-condensation is critical in activating the RIG-I signaling pathway, thus restraining RNA virus infection. Our studies provide a conceptual framework for better understanding the heterogeneity of stress granule components and their response to distinct environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Shang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Sitao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jinrui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lili Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Daniel D Billadeau
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Peiguo Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, 310030, China
| | - Lingqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, 100850, Beijing, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Peng Bai
- Department of Forensic Genetics, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Da Jia
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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31
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Koizumi T, Fujimoto A, Kawaguchi H, Kurosaki T, Kitamura A. Stress Granule Dysfunction via Chromophore-Associated Light Inactivation. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:21298-21306. [PMID: 38764671 PMCID: PMC11097178 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are cytoplasmic condensates composed of various proteins and RNAs that protect translation-associated machinery from harmful conditions during stress. However, the method of spatiotemporal inactivation of condensates such as SGs in live cells to study cellular phenotypes is still in the process of being demonstrated. Here, we show that the inactivation of SGs by chromophore-associated light inactivation (CALI) using a genetically encoded red fluorescence protein (SuperNova-Red) as a photosensitizer leads to differences in cell viability during recovery from hyperosmotic stress. CALI delayed the disassembly kinetics of SGs during recovery from hyperosmotic stress. Consequently, CALI could inactivate the SGs, and the cellular fate due to SGs could be analyzed. Furthermore, CALI is an effective spatiotemporal knockdown method for intracellular condensates/aggregates and would contribute to the elucidation of importance of such condensates/aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Koizumi
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Ai Fujimoto
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Haruka Kawaguchi
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Tsumugi Kurosaki
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Akira Kitamura
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
- PRIME, Japan
Agency for Medical Research and Development, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-004, Japan
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32
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Sun S, Zhou J, Liu P. Liquid-liquid phase separation of microtubule-binding proteins in the regulation of spindle assembly. Cell Prolif 2024:e13649. [PMID: 38736355 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell division is a highly regulated process essential for the accurate segregation of chromosomes. Central to this process is the assembly of a bipolar mitotic spindle, a highly dynamic microtubule (MT)-based structure responsible for chromosome movement. The nucleation and dynamics of MTs are intricately regulated by MT-binding proteins. Over the recent years, various MT-binding proteins have been reported to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, forming either single- or multi-component condensates on MTs. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of the phase separation characteristics of these proteins. We underscore their critical roles in MT nucleation, spindle assembly and kinetochore-MT attachment during the cell division process. Furthermore, we discuss the current challenges and various remaining unsolved problems, highlights the ongoing research efforts aimed at a deeper understanding of the role of the phase separation process during spindle assembly and orientation. Our review aims to contribute to the collective knowledge in this area and stimulate further investigations that will enhance our comprehension of the intricate mechanisms governing cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Sun
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peiwei Liu
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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33
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Cai J, Li C, Liu S, Tan M, Sun Y, Sun X, Yang M, He B. Angiogenin-mediated tsRNAs control inflammation and metabolic disorder by regulating NLRP3 inflammasome. Cell Death Differ 2024:10.1038/s41418-024-01311-8. [PMID: 38740959 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01311-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The cellular stress response system in immune cells plays a crucial role in regulating the development of inflammatory diseases. In response to cellular damage or microbial infection, the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome induces pyroptosis and the release of inflammatory cytokines. Meanwhile, Angiogenin (Ang)-mediated transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) promote cell survival under stressful conditions. While both tsRNAs and inflammasomes are induced under stress conditions, the interplay between these two systems and their implications in regulating inflammatory diseases remains poorly understood. In this study, it was demonstrated that Ang deficiency exacerbated sodium arsenite-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis. Moreover, Ang-induced 5'-tsRNAs inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis. Mechanistically, 5'-tsRNAs recruit DDX3X protein into stress granules (SGs), consequently inhibiting the interaction between DDX3X and NLRP3, thus leading to the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, in vivo results showed that Ang deficiency led to the downregulation of tsRNAs, ultimately leading to an exacerbation of NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent inflammation, including lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation and type-2 diabetes-related inflammation. Altogether, our study sheds a new light on the role of Ang-induced 5'-tsRNAs in regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation via SGs, and highlights tsRNAs as a promising target for the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangxue Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Chenxuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Suyuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Meiling Tan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Yiran Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Miaoxin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Bin He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
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Vicente JJ, Khan K, Tillinghast G, McFaline-Figueroa JL, Sancak Y, Stella N. The microtubule targeting agent ST-401 triggers cell death in interphase and prevents the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells. J Transl Med 2024; 22:441. [PMID: 38730481 PMCID: PMC11084142 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05234-3] [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] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Microtubule targeting agents (MTAs) are commonly prescribed to treat cancers and predominantly kill cancer cells in mitosis. Significantly, some MTA-treated cancer cells escape death in mitosis, exit mitosis and become malignant polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCC). Considering the low number of cancer cells undergoing mitosis in tumor tissues, killing them in interphase may represent a favored antitumor approach. We discovered that ST-401, a mild inhibitor of microtubule (MT) assembly, preferentially kills cancer cells in interphase as opposed to mitosis, a cell death mechanism that avoids the development of PGCC. Single cell RNA sequencing identified mRNA transcripts regulated by ST-401, including mRNAs involved in ribosome and mitochondrial functions. Accordingly, ST-401 induces a transient integrated stress response, reduces energy metabolism, and promotes mitochondria fission. This cell response may underly death in interphase and avoid the development of PGCC. Considering that ST-401 is a brain-penetrant MTA, we validated these results in glioblastoma cell lines and found that ST-401 also reduces energy metabolism and promotes mitochondria fission in GBM sensitive lines. Thus, brain-penetrant mild inhibitors of MT assembly, such as ST-401, that induce death in interphase through a previously unanticipated antitumor mechanism represent a potentially transformative new class of therapeutics for the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jesus Vicente
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Health Sciences Building G424, 1705 NE Pacific Str., Seattle, WA, 98195-7280, USA.
| | - Kainat Khan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Health Sciences Center F404A, 1959 NE Pacific Str., Seattle, WA, 98195-7280, USA
| | - Grant Tillinghast
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10025, USA
| | | | - Yasemin Sancak
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Health Sciences Center F404A, 1959 NE Pacific Str., Seattle, WA, 98195-7280, USA
| | - Nephi Stella
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Health Sciences Center F404A, 1959 NE Pacific Str., Seattle, WA, 98195-7280, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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35
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Cui Q, Liu Z, Bai G. Friend or foe: The role of stress granule in neurodegenerative disease. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00286-1. [PMID: 38744273 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.025] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic membraneless organelles that form in response to cellular stress. SGs are predominantly composed of RNA and RNA-binding proteins that assemble through liquid-liquid phase separation. Although the formation of SGs is considered a transient and protective response to cellular stress, their dysregulation or persistence may contribute to various neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SG physiology and pathology. It covers the formation, composition, regulation, and functions of SGs, along with their crosstalk with other membrane-bound and membraneless organelles. Furthermore, this review discusses the dual roles of SGs as both friends and foes in neurodegenerative diseases and explores potential therapeutic approaches targeting SGs. The challenges and future perspectives in this field are also highlighted. A more profound comprehension of the intricate relationship between SGs and neurodegenerative diseases could inspire the development of innovative therapeutic interventions against these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinqin Cui
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China.
| | - Zongyu Liu
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ge Bai
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Fundamental and Transdisciplinary Research, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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36
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Modic M, Adamek M, Ule J. The impact of IDR phosphorylation on the RNA binding profiles of proteins. Trends Genet 2024:S0168-9525(24)00078-7. [PMID: 38705823 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.04.004] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Due to their capacity to mediate repetitive protein interactions, intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are crucial for the formation of various types of protein-RNA complexes. The functions of IDRs are strongly modulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). Phosphorylation is the most common and well-studied modification of IDRs, which can alter homomeric or heteromeric interactions of proteins and impact their ability to phase separate. Moreover, phosphorylation can influence the RNA-binding properties of proteins, and recent studies demonstrated its selective impact on the global profiles of protein-RNA binding and regulation. These findings highlight the need for further integrative approaches to understand how signalling remodels protein-RNA networks in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miha Modic
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Maksimiljan Adamek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; PhD Program 'Biosciences', Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Ule
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, UK.
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37
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Li J, Zhang Y, Gu J, Zhou Y, Liu J, Cui H, Zhao T, Jin Z. Stress Granule Core Protein-Derived Peptides Inhibit Assembly of Stress Granules and Improve Sorafenib Sensitivity in Cancer Cells. Molecules 2024; 29:2134. [PMID: 38731625 PMCID: PMC11085366 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092134] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Upon a variety of environmental stresses, eukaryotic cells usually recruit translational stalled mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins to form cytoplasmic condensates known as stress granules (SGs), which minimize stress-induced damage and promote stress adaptation and cell survival. SGs are hijacked by cancer cells to promote cell survival and are consequently involved in the development of anticancer drug resistance. However, the design and application of chemical compounds targeting SGs to improve anticancer drug efficacy have rarely been studied. Here, we developed two types of SG inhibitory peptides (SIPs) derived from SG core proteins Caprin1 and USP10 and fused with cell-penetrating peptides to generate TAT-SIP-C1/2 and SIP-U1-Antp, respectively. We obtained 11 SG-inducing anticancer compounds from cell-based screens and explored the potential application of SIPs in overcoming resistance to the SG-inducing anticancer drug sorafenib. We found that SIPs increased the sensitivity of HeLa cells to sorafenib via the disruption of SGs. Therefore, anticancer drugs which are competent to induce SGs could be combined with SIPs to sensitize cancer cells, which might provide a novel therapeutic strategy to alleviate anticancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yaobin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jinxuan Gu
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yulin Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jie Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Haiyan Cui
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Tiejun Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Zhigang Jin
- College of Life Sciences, Office of Student Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
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38
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Glauninger H, Bard JA, Wong Hickernell CJ, Airoldi EM, Li W, Singer RH, Paul S, Fei J, Sosnick TR, Wallace EWJ, Drummond DA. Transcriptome-wide mRNA condensation precedes stress granule formation and excludes stress-induced transcripts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589678. [PMID: 38659805 PMCID: PMC11042329 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Stress-induced condensation of mRNA and proteins into stress granules is conserved across eukaryotes, yet the function, formation mechanisms, and relation to well-studied conserved transcriptional responses remain largely unresolved. Stress-induced exposure of ribosome-free mRNA following translational shutoff is thought to cause condensation by allowing new multivalent RNA-dependent interactions, with RNA length and associated interaction capacity driving increased condensation. Here we show that, in striking contrast, virtually all mRNA species condense in response to multiple unrelated stresses in budding yeast, length plays a minor role, and instead, stress-induced transcripts are preferentially excluded from condensates, enabling their selective translation. Using both endogenous genes and reporter constructs, we show that translation initiation blockade, rather than resulting ribosome-free RNA, causes condensation. These translation initiation-inhibited condensates (TIICs) are biochemically detectable even when stress granules, defined as microscopically visible foci, are absent or blocked. TIICs occur in unstressed yeast cells, and, during stress, grow before the appearance of visible stress granules. Stress-induced transcripts are excluded from TIICs primarily due to the timing of their expression, rather than their sequence features. Together, our results reveal a simple system by which cells redirect translational activity to newly synthesized transcripts during stress, with broad implications for cellular regulation in changing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Glauninger
- Graduate Program in Biophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Interdisciplinary Scientist Training Program, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jared A.M. Bard
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | | | - Edo M. Airoldi
- Fox School of Business and Management, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Weihan Li
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Robert H. Singer
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Sneha Paul
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jingyi Fei
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tobin R. Sosnick
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - D. Allan Drummond
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Section of Genetic Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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39
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Hedtfeld M, Dammers A, Koerner C, Musacchio A. A validation strategy to assess the role of phase separation as a determinant of macromolecular localization. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1783-1801.e7. [PMID: 38614097 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.022] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of putative assembly scaffolds has been proposed to drive the biogenesis of membraneless compartments. LLPS scaffolds are usually identified through in vitro LLPS assays with single macromolecules (homotypic), but the predictive value of these assays remains poorly characterized. Here, we apply a strategy to evaluate the robustness of homotypic LLPS assays. When applied to the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), which undergoes LLPS in vitro and localizes to centromeres to promote chromosome biorientation, LLPS propensity in vitro emerged as an unreliable predictor of subcellular localization. In vitro CPC LLPS in aqueous buffers was enhanced by commonly used crowding agents. Conversely, diluted cytomimetic media dissolved condensates of the CPC and of several other proteins. We also show that centromeres do not seem to nucleate LLPS, nor do they promote local, spatially restrained LLPS of the CPC. Our strategy can be adapted to purported LLPS scaffolds of other membraneless compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Hedtfeld
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany; Centre for Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alicia Dammers
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Carolin Koerner
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Andrea Musacchio
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany; Centre for Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
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40
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Choi Y, Um B, Na Y, Kim J, Kim JS, Kim VN. Time-resolved profiling of RNA binding proteins throughout the mRNA life cycle. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1764-1782.e10. [PMID: 38593806 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.012] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
mRNAs continually change their protein partners throughout their lifetimes, yet our understanding of mRNA-protein complex (mRNP) remodeling is limited by a lack of temporal data. Here, we present time-resolved mRNA interactome data by performing pulse metabolic labeling with photoactivatable ribonucleoside in human cells, UVA crosslinking, poly(A)+ RNA isolation, and mass spectrometry. This longitudinal approach allowed the quantification of over 700 RNA binding proteins (RBPs) across ten time points. Overall, the sequential order of mRNA binding aligns well with known functions, subcellular locations, and molecular interactions. However, we also observed RBPs with unexpected dynamics: the transcription-export (TREX) complex recruited posttranscriptionally after nuclear export factor 1 (NXF1) binding, challenging the current view of transcription-coupled mRNA export, and stress granule proteins prevalent in aged mRNPs, indicating roles in late stages of the mRNA life cycle. To systematically identify mRBPs with unknown functions, we employed machine learning to compare mRNA binding dynamics with Gene Ontology (GO) annotations. Our data can be explored at chronology.rna.snu.ac.kr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon Choi
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Buyeon Um
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongwoo Na
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeesoo Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seo Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - V Narry Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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41
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Zhang M, Zhang Z, Niu X, Ti H, Zhou Y, Gao B, Li Y, Liu J, Chen X, Li H. Interplay Between Intracellular Transport Dynamics and Liquid‒Liquid Phase Separation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308338. [PMID: 38447188 PMCID: PMC11109639 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a ubiquitous process in which proteins, RNA, and biomolecules assemble into membrane-less compartments, playing important roles in many biological functions and diseases. The current knowledge on the biophysical and biochemical principles of LLPS is largely from in vitro studies; however, the physiological environment in living cells is complex and not at equilibrium. The characteristics of intracellular dynamics and their roles in physiological LLPS remain to be resolved. Here, by using single-particle tracking of quantum dots and dynamic monitoring of the formation of stress granules (SGs) in single cells, the spatiotemporal dynamics of intracellular transport in cells undergoing LLPS are quantified. It is shown that intracellular diffusion and active transport are both reduced. Furthermore, the formation of SG droplets contributes to increased spatial heterogeneity within the cell. More importantly, the study demonstrated that the LLPS of SGs can be regulated by intracellular dynamics in two stages: the reduced intracellular diffusion promotes SG assembly and the microtubule-associated transport facilitates SG coalescences. The work on intracellular dynamics not only improves the understanding of the mechanism of physiology phase separations occurring in nonequilibrium environments but also reveals an interplay between intracellular dynamics and LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming‐Li Zhang
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Ziheng Zhang
- School of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China
| | - Xue‐Zhi Niu
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Hui‐Ying Ti
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Yu‐Xuan Zhou
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Bo Gao
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Yiwei Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics – Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key LaboratoryDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Life Science and TechnologyHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan430074China
| | - Ji‐Long Liu
- School of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China
| | - Xiaosong Chen
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium SystemsBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
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42
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Petrauskas A, Fortunati DL, Kandi AR, Pothapragada SS, Agrawal K, Singh A, Huelsmeier J, Hillebrand J, Brown G, Chaturvedi D, Lee J, Lim C, Auburger G, VijayRaghavan K, Ramaswami M, Bakthavachalu B. Structured and disordered regions of Ataxin-2 contribute differently to the specificity and efficiency of mRNP granule formation. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011251. [PMID: 38768217 PMCID: PMC11166328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011251] [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] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) is a gene implicated in spinocerebellar ataxia type II (SCA2), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinsonism. The encoded protein is a therapeutic target for ALS and related conditions. ATXN2 (or Atx2 in insects) can function in translational activation, translational repression, mRNA stability and in the assembly of mRNP-granules, a process mediated by intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Previous work has shown that the LSm (Like-Sm) domain of Atx2, which can help stimulate mRNA translation, antagonizes mRNP-granule assembly. Here we advance these findings through a series of experiments on Drosophila and human Ataxin-2 proteins. Results of Targets of RNA Binding Proteins Identified by Editing (TRIBE), co-localization and immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that a polyA-binding protein (PABP) interacting, PAM2 motif of Ataxin-2 may be a major determinant of the mRNA and protein content of Ataxin-2 mRNP granules. Experiments with transgenic Drosophila indicate that while the Atx2-LSm domain may protect against neurodegeneration, structured PAM2- and unstructured IDR- interactions both support Atx2-induced cytotoxicity. Taken together, the data lead to a proposal for how Ataxin-2 interactions are remodelled during translational control and how structured and non-structured interactions contribute differently to the specificity and efficiency of RNP granule condensation as well as to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnas Petrauskas
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel L. Fortunati
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arvind Reddy Kandi
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, India
| | | | - Khushboo Agrawal
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kollam, Kerala, India
| | - Amanjot Singh
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, India
- Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, MAHE-Bengaluru, Govindapura, Bengaluru, India
| | - Joern Huelsmeier
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jens Hillebrand
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Georgia Brown
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Jongbo Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Chunghun Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Medical School, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Mani Ramaswami
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, India
| | - Baskar Bakthavachalu
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, India
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India
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43
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Dar F, Cohen SR, Mitrea DM, Phillips AH, Nagy G, Leite WC, Stanley CB, Choi JM, Kriwacki RW, Pappu RV. Biomolecular condensates form spatially inhomogeneous network fluids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3413. [PMID: 38649740 PMCID: PMC11035652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47602-z] [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: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The functions of biomolecular condensates are thought to be influenced by their material properties, and these will be determined by the internal organization of molecules within condensates. However, structural characterizations of condensates are challenging, and rarely reported. Here, we deploy a combination of small angle neutron scattering, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to provide structural descriptions of model condensates that are formed by macromolecules from nucleolar granular components (GCs). We show that these minimal facsimiles of GCs form condensates that are network fluids featuring spatial inhomogeneities across different length scales that reflect the contributions of distinct protein and peptide domains. The network-like inhomogeneous organization is characterized by a coexistence of liquid- and gas-like macromolecular densities that engenders bimodality of internal molecular dynamics. These insights suggest that condensates formed by multivalent proteins share features with network fluids formed by systems such as patchy or hairy colloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furqan Dar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Samuel R Cohen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Diana M Mitrea
- Dewpoint Therapeutics Inc., 451 D Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Aaron H Phillips
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Wellington C Leite
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Christopher B Stanley
- Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Jeong-Mo Choi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| | - Richard W Kriwacki
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
| | - Rohit V Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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44
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Kumar A, Tanaka K, Schwartz MA. Focal adhesion-derived liquid-liquid phase separations regulate mRNA translation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.22.568289. [PMID: 38045367 PMCID: PMC10690234 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged as a major organizing principle in cells. Recent work showed that multiple components of integrin-mediated focal adhesions including p130Cas can form LLPS, which govern adhesion dynamics and related cell behaviors. In this study, we found that the focal adhesion protein p130Cas drives formation of structures with the characteristics of LLPS that bud from focal adhesions into the cytoplasm. Condensing concentrated cytoplasm around p130Cas-coated beads allowed their isolation, which were enriched in a subset of focal adhesion proteins, mRNAs and RNA binding proteins, including those implicated in inhibiting mRNA translation. Plating cells on very high concentrations of fibronectin to induce large focal adhesions inhibited message translation which required p130Cas and correlated with droplet formation. Photo-induction of p130Cas condensates using the Cry2 system also reduced translation. These results identify a novel regulatory mechanism in which high adhesion limits message translation via induction of p130Cas-dependent cytoplasmic LLPS. This mechanism may contribute to the quiescent state of very strongly adhesive myofibroblasts and senescent cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Kumar
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine), 300 George St. New Haven CT 06511
| | - Keiichiro Tanaka
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine), 300 George St. New Haven CT 06511
| | - Martin A Schwartz
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine), 300 George St. New Haven CT 06511
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
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45
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Liu N, Yang W, Luo L, Ma M, Cui J, Dong X, Li Y. Critical role of G3BP1 in bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3)-inhibition of stress granules formation and viral replication. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1358036. [PMID: 38690262 PMCID: PMC11058653 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1358036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background It remains unclear whether BPIV3 infection leads to stress granules formation and whether G3BP1 plays a role in this process and in viral replication. This study aims to clarify the association between BPIV3 and stress granules, explore the effect of G3BP1 on BPIV3 replication, and provide significant insights into the mechanisms by which BPIV3 evades the host's antiviral immunity to support its own survival. Methods Here, we use Immunofluorescence staining to observe the effect of BPIV3 infection on the assembly of stress granules. Meanwhile, the expression changes of eIF2α and G3BP1 were determined. Overexpression or siRNA silencing of intracellular G3BP1 levels was examined for its regulatory control of BPIV3 replication. Results We identify that the BPIV3 infection elicited phosphorylation of the eIF2α protein. However, it did not induce the assembly of stress granules; rather, it inhibited the formation of stress granules and downregulated the expression of G3BP1. G3BP1 overexpression facilitated the formation of stress granules within cells and hindered viral replication, while G3BP1 knockdown enhanced BPIV3 expression. Conclusion This study suggest that G3BP1 plays a crucial role in BPIV3 suppressing stress granule formation and viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Harbin, China
| | - Lingzhi Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Mingshuang Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jin Cui
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Harbin, China
| | - Xiumei Dong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Harbin, China
| | - Yijing Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Harbin, China
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46
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Gu H, Gu C, Locker N, Ewing AG. Amperometry and Electron Microscopy show Stress Granules Induce Homotypic Fusion of Catecholamine Vesicles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400422. [PMID: 38380500 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400422] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
An overreactive stress granule (SG) pathway and long-lived, stable SGs formation are thought to participate in the progress of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). To understand if and how SGs contribute to disorders of neurotransmitter release in NDs, we examined the interaction between extracellular isolated SGs and vesicles. Amperometry shows that the vesicular content increases and dynamics of vesicle opening slow down after vesicles are treated with SGs, suggesting larger vesicles are formed. Data from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly shows that a portion of large dense-core vesicles (LDCVs) with double/multiple cores appear, thus confirming that SGs induce homotypic fusion between LDCVs. This might be a protective step to help cells to survive following high oxidative stress. A hypothetical mechanism is proposed whereby enriched mRNA or protein in the shell of SGs is likely to bind intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) regions of vesicle associated membrane protein (VAMP) driving a disrupted membrane between two closely buddled vesicles to fuse with each other to form double-core vesicles. Our results show that SGs induce homotypic fusion of LDCVs, providing better understanding of how SGs intervene in pathological processes and opening a new direction to investigations of SGs involved neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, 411201, Xiangtan, China
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Chaoyi Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nicolas Locker
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, GU27XH, Guildford Surrey, UK
| | - Andrew G Ewing
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
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47
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Rana U, Wingreen NS, Brangwynne CP, Panagiotopoulos AZ. Interfacial exchange dynamics of biomolecular condensates are highly sensitive to client interactions. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:145102. [PMID: 38591689 PMCID: PMC11006425 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188461] [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] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phase separation of biomolecules can facilitate their spatiotemporally regulated self-assembly within living cells. Due to the selective yet dynamic exchange of biomolecules across condensate interfaces, condensates can function as reactive hubs by concentrating enzymatic components for faster kinetics. The principles governing this dynamic exchange between condensate phases, however, are poorly understood. In this work, we systematically investigate the influence of client-sticker interactions on the exchange dynamics of protein molecules across condensate interfaces. We show that increasing affinity between a model protein scaffold and its client molecules causes the exchange of protein chains between the dilute and dense phases to slow down and that beyond a threshold interaction strength, this slowdown in exchange becomes substantial. Investigating the impact of interaction symmetry, we found that chain exchange dynamics are also considerably slower when client molecules interact equally with different sticky residues in the protein. The slowdown of exchange is due to a sequestration effect, by which there are fewer unbound stickers available at the interface to which dilute phase chains may attach. These findings highlight the fundamental connection between client-scaffold interaction networks and condensate exchange dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ushnish Rana
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Ned S. Wingreen
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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48
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Jin SW, Seong Y, Yoon D, Kwon YS, Song H. Dissolution of ribonucleoprotein condensates by the embryonic stem cell protein L1TD1. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3310-3326. [PMID: 38165001 PMCID: PMC11014241 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1244] [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] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
L1TD1 is a cytoplasmic RNA-binding protein specifically expressed in pluripotent stem cells and, unlike its mouse ortholog, is essential for the maintenance of stemness in human cells. Although L1TD1 is the only known protein-coding gene domesticated from a LINE-1 (L1) retroelement, the functional legacy of its ancestral protein, ORF1p of L1, and how it is manifested in L1TD1 are still unknown. Here, we determined RNAs associated with L1TD1 and found that, like ORF1p, L1TD1 binds L1 RNAs and localizes to high-density ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates. Unexpectedly, L1TD1 enhanced the translation of a subset of mRNAs enriched in the condensates. L1TD1 depletion promoted the formation of stress granules in embryonic stem cells. In HeLa cells, ectopically expressed L1TD1 facilitated the dissolution of stress granules and granules formed by pathological mutations of TDP-43 and FUS. The glutamate-rich domain and the ORF1-homology domain of L1TD1 facilitated dispersal of the RNPs and induced autophagy, respectively. These results provide insights into how L1TD1 regulates gene expression in pluripotent stem cells. We propose that the ability of L1TD1 to dissolve stress granules may provide novel opportunities for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases caused by disturbed stress granule dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Woo Jin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngmo Seong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dayoung Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Soo Kwon
- Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoseok Song
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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49
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Sun X, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Peng M, Wei X, Xie Y, Wen C, Liu J, Ye M. Biomolecular Condensates Decipher Molecular Codes of Cell Fate: From Biophysical Fundamentals to Therapeutic Practices. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4127. [PMID: 38612940 PMCID: PMC11012904 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074127] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell fate is precisely modulated by complex but well-tuned molecular signaling networks, whose spatial and temporal dysregulation commonly leads to hazardous diseases. Biomolecular condensates (BCs), as a newly emerging type of biophysical assemblies, decipher the molecular codes bridging molecular behaviors, signaling axes, and clinical prognosis. Particularly, physical traits of BCs play an important role; however, a panoramic view from this perspective toward clinical practices remains lacking. In this review, we describe the most typical five physical traits of BCs, and comprehensively summarize their roles in molecular signaling axes and corresponding major determinants. Moreover, establishing the recent observed contribution of condensate physics on clinical therapeutics, we illustrate next-generation medical strategies by targeting condensate physics. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for future medical development along with the rapid scientific and technological advances are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Sun
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.)
| | - Yangyang Zhou
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
| | - Zhiyan Wang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
| | - Menglan Peng
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
| | - Xianhua Wei
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
| | - Yifang Xie
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.)
| | - Chengcai Wen
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.)
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.)
| | - Mao Ye
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; (X.S.); (Y.Z.); (Z.W.); (M.P.); (X.W.)
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50
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Khorsand FR, Uversky VN. Liquid-liquid phase separation as triggering factor of fibril formation. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:143-182. [PMID: 38811080 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) refers to the phenomenon, where a homogeneous solution spontaneously undergoes a transition into two or more immiscible phases. Through transient weak multivalent macromolecular interactions, a homogeneous solution can spontaneously separate into two phases: one rich in biomolecules and the other poor in biomolecules. Phase separation is believed to serve as the physicochemical foundation for the formation of membrane-less organelles (MLOs) and bio-molecular condensates within cells. Moreover, numerous biological processes depend on LLPS, such as transcription, immunological response, chromatin architecture, DNA damage response, stress granule formation, viral infection, etc. Abnormalities in phase separation can lead to diseases, such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. LLPS is regulated by various factors, such as concentration of molecules undergoing LLPS, salt concentration, pH, temperature, post-translational modifications, and molecular chaperones. Recent research on LLPS of biomolecules has progressed rapidly and led to the development of databases containing information pertaining to various aspects of the biomolecule separation analysis. However, more comprehensive research is still required to fully comprehend the specific molecular mechanisms and biological effects of LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Pushchino, Moscow, Russia; Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
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