1
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Granik N, Goldberg S, Amit R. Formation of Polyphasic RNP Granules by Intrinsically Disordered Qβ Coat Proteins and Hairpin-Containing RNA. ACS Synth Biol 2025. [PMID: 40400233 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2025]
Abstract
RNA-protein (RNP) granules are fundamental components in cells, where they perform multiple crucial functions. Many RNP granules form via phase separation driven by protein-protein, protein-RNA, and RNA-RNA interactions. Notably, associated proteins frequently contain intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) that can associate with multiple partners. Previously, we showed that synthetic RNA molecules containing multiple hairpin coat-protein binding sites can phase-separate, forming granules capable of selectively incorporating proteins inside. Here, we expand this platform by introducing a phage coat protein with a known IDR that facilitates protein-protein interactions. We show that the coat protein phase-separates on its own in vivo and that introduction of hairpin-containing RNA molecules can lead to dissolvement of the protein granules. We further demonstrate via multiple assays that RNA valency, determined by the number of hairpins present on the RNA, leads to distinctly different phase behaviors, effectively forming a polyphasic, programmable RNP granule. Moreover, by incorporating the gene for a blue fluorescent protein into the RNA, we demonstrate a phase-dependent boost of protein titer. These insights not only shed light on the behavior of natural granules but also hold profound implications for the biotechnology field, offering a blueprint for engineering cellular compartments with tailored functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naor Granik
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Sarah Goldberg
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Roee Amit
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
- The Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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2
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Ng TLC, Hoare MP, Maristany MJ, Wilde EJ, Sneideris T, Huertas J, Agbetiameh BK, Furukawa M, Joseph JA, Knowles TPJ, Collepardo-Guevara R, Itzhaki LS, Kumita JR. Tandem-repeat proteins introduce tuneable properties to engineered biomolecular condensates. Chem Sci 2025:d5sc00903k. [PMID: 40375868 PMCID: PMC12076082 DOI: 10.1039/d5sc00903k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2025] [Accepted: 05/04/2025] [Indexed: 05/18/2025] Open
Abstract
The cell's ability to rapidly partition biomolecules into biomolecular condensates is linked to a diverse range of cellular functions. Understanding how the structural attributes of biomolecular condensates are linked with their biological roles can be facilitated by the development of synthetic condensate systems that can be manipulated in a controllable and predictable way. Here, we design and characterise a tuneable synthetic biomolecular condensate platform fusing modular consensus-designed tetratricopeptide repeat (CTPR) proteins to intrinsically-disordered domains. Trends between the CTPR structural attributes and condensate propensity were recapitulated across different experimental conditions and by in silico modelling, demonstrating that the CTPR domain can systematically affect the condensates in a predictable manner. Moreover, we show that incorporating short binding motifs into the CTPR domain results in specific target-protein recruitment into the condensates. Our model system can be rationally designed in a versatile manner to both tune condensate propensity and endow the condensates with new functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tin Long Chris Ng
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - Mateo P Hoare
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - M Julia Maristany
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory Cambridge CB3 0FZ UK
| | - Ellis J Wilde
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - Tomas Sneideris
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Jan Huertas
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Pl Cambridge CB2 3EH UK
| | - Belinda K Agbetiameh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - Mona Furukawa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - Jerelle A Joseph
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University Princeton NJ 08544 USA
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Rosana Collepardo-Guevara
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory Cambridge CB3 0FZ UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Pl Cambridge CB2 3EH UK
| | - Laura S Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
| | - Janet R Kumita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge Tennis Court Road Cambridge CB2 1PD UK
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3
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Barros-Medina I, Robles-Ramos MÁ, Sobrinos-Sanguino M, Luque-Ortega JR, Alfonso C, Margolin W, Rivas G, Monterroso B, Zorrilla S. Evidence for biomolecular condensates formed by the Escherichia coli MatP protein in spatiotemporal regulation of the bacterial cell division cycle. Int J Biol Macromol 2025; 309:142691. [PMID: 40174834 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142691] [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: 01/27/2025] [Revised: 03/18/2025] [Accepted: 03/29/2025] [Indexed: 04/04/2025]
Abstract
An increasing number of proteins involved in bacterial cell cycle events have been recently shown to form biomolecular condensates important for their functions that may play a role in development of antibiotic-tolerant persister cells. Here we report that the E. coli chromosomal Ter macrodomain organizer MatP, a division site selection protein coordinating chromosome segregation with cell division, formed biomolecular condensates in crowding cytomimetic systems preferentially localized at the membrane of microfluidics droplets. Condensates were antagonized and partially dislodged from the membrane by DNA sequences recognized by MatP (matS), which partitioned into them. FtsZ, a core component of the division machinery previously described to phase-separate, unexpectedly enhanced MatP condensation. Our biophysical analyses uncovered direct interaction between both proteins, disrupted by matS. This may have potential implications for midcell FtsZ ring positioning by the Ter-linkage, which comprises MatP and two other proteins bridging the canonical MatP-FtsZ interaction. FtsZ/MatP condensates interconverted with GTP-triggered bundles, suggesting that local fluctuations of GTP concentrations may regulate FtsZ/MatP phase separation. Consistent with discrete MatP foci previously reported in cells, phase separation might influence MatP-dependent chromosome organization, spatiotemporal coordination of cytokinesis and DNA segregation, which is potentially relevant for cell entry into dormant states that can resist antibiotic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Barros-Medina
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Miguel Ángel Robles-Ramos
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Marta Sobrinos-Sanguino
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; Molecular Interactions Facility, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juan Román Luque-Ortega
- Molecular Interactions Facility, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlos Alfonso
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth-Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Germán Rivas
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Begoña Monterroso
- Department of Crystallography and Structural Biology, Instituto de Química Física Blas Cabrera, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Silvia Zorrilla
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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4
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André AA, Rehnberg N, Garg A, Kjærgaard M. Toward Design Principles for Biomolecular Condensates for Metabolic Pathways. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2025; 9:e2400672. [PMID: 40195042 PMCID: PMC12078866 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202400672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2024] [Revised: 01/14/2025] [Indexed: 04/09/2025]
Abstract
Biology uses membrane-less organelles or biomolecular condensates as dynamic reaction compartments that can form or dissolve to regulate biochemical pathways. This has led to a flurry of research aiming to design new synthetic organelles that function as reaction crucibles for enzymes and biomolecular cascades in biotechnology. The mechanisms by which a condensate can enhance multistep biochemical processes including mass action, tuning the chemical environment, scaffolding and metabolic channelling is reviewed. These mechanisms are not inherently beneficial for the rate of enzymatic processes but can also inhibit a reaction. Similarly, some aspects of condensates are likely intrinsically inhibitory including retardation of diffusion, where the net effect of a condensate will be a trade-off between inhibitory and stimulatory effects. It is discussed which generalizable conclusions can be drawn so far and how close it is to design principles for condensates for enzyme cascades in microbial cell factories including which reactions are likely to be enhanced by condensates and which type of condensate will be suited for which reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain A.M. André
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsAarhus University, Denmar
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Nikita Rehnberg
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsAarhus University, Denmar
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Ankush Garg
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsAarhus University, Denmar
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Magnus Kjærgaard
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsAarhus University, Denmar
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus University, Denmark
- The Danish Research Institute for Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE)Aarhus University, Denmark
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5
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Rahman MM, Zamakhaeva S, Rush JS, Chaton CT, Kenner CW, Hla YM, Tsui HCT, Uversky VN, Winkler ME, Korotkov KV, Korotkova N. Glycosylation of serine/threonine-rich intrinsically disordered regions of membrane-associated proteins in streptococci. Nat Commun 2025; 16:4011. [PMID: 40301326 PMCID: PMC12041528 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58692-8] [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: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2025] [Indexed: 05/01/2025] Open
Abstract
Proteins harboring intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) lacking stable secondary or tertiary structures are abundant across the three domains of life. These regions have not been systematically studied in prokaryotes. Here, our genome-wide analysis identifies extracytoplasmic serine/threonine-rich IDRs in several biologically important membrane-associated proteins in streptococci. We demonstrate that these IDRs are glycosylated with glucose by glycosyltransferases GtrB and PgtC2 in Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and with N-acetylgalactosamine by a Pgf-dependent mechanism in Streptococcus mutans. The absence of glycosylation leads to a defect in biofilm formation under ethanol-stressed conditions in S. mutans. We link this phenotype to the C-terminal IDR of the post-translocation chaperone PrsA. Our data reveal that O-linked glycosylation protects the IDR-containing proteins from proteolytic degradation and is critical for the biological function of PrsA in biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Svetlana Zamakhaeva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Rush
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Catherine T Chaton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Cameron W Kenner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yin Mon Hla
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | | | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Malcolm E Winkler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Konstantin V Korotkov
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Natalia Korotkova
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
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6
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Sabari BR, Hyman AA, Hnisz D. Functional specificity in biomolecular condensates revealed by genetic complementation. Nat Rev Genet 2025; 26:279-290. [PMID: 39433596 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00780-4] [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] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are thought to create subcellular microenvironments that regulate specific biochemical activities. Extensive in vitro work has helped link condensate formation to a wide range of cellular processes, including gene expression, nuclear transport, signalling and stress responses. However, testing the relationship between condensate formation and function in cells is more challenging. In particular, the extent to which the cellular functions of condensates depend on the nature of the molecular interactions through which the condensates form is a major outstanding question. Here, we review results from recent genetic complementation experiments in cells, and highlight how genetic complementation provides important insights into cellular functions and functional specificity of biomolecular condensates. Combined with observations from human genetic disease, these experiments suggest that diverse condensate-promoting regions within cellular proteins confer different condensate compositions, biophysical properties and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Sabari
- Laboratory of Nuclear Organization, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Anthony A Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Denes Hnisz
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.
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7
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Rahman MM, Zamakhaeva S, Rush JS, Chaton CT, Kenner CW, Hla YM, Tsui HCT, Uversky VN, Winkler ME, Korotkov KV, Korotkova N. Glycosylation of serine/threonine-rich intrinsically disordered regions of membrane-associated proteins in streptococci. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2024.05.05.592596. [PMID: 38746434 PMCID: PMC11092751 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.05.592596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Proteins harboring intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) lacking stable secondary or tertiary structures are abundant across the three domains of life. These regions have not been systematically studied in prokaryotes. Our genome-wide analysis identifies extracytoplasmic serine/threonine-rich IDRs in several biologically important membrane-associated proteins in streptococci. We demonstrate that these IDRs are glycosylated with glucose by glycosyltransferases GtrB and PgtC2 in Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and with N-acetylgalactosamine by a Pgf-dependent mechanism in Streptococcus mutans. The absence of glycosylation leads to a defect in biofilm formation under ethanol-stressed conditions in S. mutans. We link this phenotype to the C-terminal IDR of the post-translocation chaperone PrsA. Our data reveal that O-linked glycosylation protects the IDR-containing proteins from proteolytic degradation and is critical for the biological function of PrsA in biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M. Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Svetlana Zamakhaeva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Rush
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Catherine T. Chaton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Cameron W. Kenner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yin Mon Hla
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Malcolm E. Winkler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Konstantin V. Korotkov
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Natalia Korotkova
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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8
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Passos C, Tomares D, Yassine H, Schnorr W, Hunter H, Wolfe-Feichter HK, Velier J, Dzurik KG, Grillo J, Gega A, Saxena S, Schrader J, Childers WS. BR-Bodies Facilitate Adaptive Responses and Survival During Copper Stress in Caulobacter crescentus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.03.11.642215. [PMID: 40161778 PMCID: PMC11952403 DOI: 10.1101/2025.03.11.642215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
Microbes must rapidly adapt to environmental stresses, including toxic heavy metals like copper, by sensing and mitigating their harmful effects. Here, we demonstrate that the phase separation properties of bacterial ribonucleoprotein bodies (BR-bodies) enhance Caulobacter crescentus fitness under copper stress. To uncover the underlying mechanism, we identified two key interactions between copper and the central scaffold of BR-bodies, RNase E. First, biochemical assays and fluorescence microscopy experiments show that reductive chelation of Cu2+ leads to cysteine oxidation, driving the transition of BR-bodies into more solid-like condensates. Second, tryptophan fluorescence and EPR assays reveal that RNase E binds Cu2+ at histidine sites, creating a protective microenvironment that prevents mismetallation and preserves PNPase activity. More broadly, this example highlights how metal-condensate interactions can regulate condensate material properties and establish specialized chemical environments that safeguard enzyme function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie Passos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Dylan Tomares
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Hadi Yassine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Wade Schnorr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Hannah Hunter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | | | - James Velier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Kathryn G Dzurik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Julia Grillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Alisa Gega
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Sunil Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
| | - Jared Schrader
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - W Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15260, USA
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9
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Chakravarti A, Joseph JA. Accurate prediction of thermoresponsive phase behavior of disordered proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.03.04.641540. [PMID: 40093057 PMCID: PMC11908177 DOI: 10.1101/2025.03.04.641540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2025]
Abstract
Protein responses to environmental stress, particularly temperature fluctuations, have long been a subject of investigation, with a focus on how proteins maintain homeostasis and exhibit thermoresponsive properties. While UCST-type (upper critical solution temperature) phase behavior has been studied extensively and can now be predicted reliably using computational models, LCST-type (lower critical solution temperature) phase transitions remain less explored, with a lack of computational models capable of accurate prediction. This gap limits our ability to probe fully how proteins undergo phase transitions in response to temperature changes. Here, we introduce Mpipi-T, a residue-level coarse-grained model designed to predict LCST-type phase behavior of proteins. Parametrized using both atomistic simulations and experimental data, Mpipi-T accounts for entropically driven protein phase separation that occurs upon heating. Accordingly, Mpipi-T predicts temperature-driven protein behavior quantitatively in both single- and multi-chain systems. Beyond its predictive capabilities, we demonstrate that Mpipi-T provides a framework for uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying heat stress responses, offering new insights into how proteins sense and adapt to thermal changes in biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Chakravarti
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Omenn–Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jerelle A. Joseph
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Omenn–Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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10
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Sanfeliu-Cerdán N, Krieg M. The mechanobiology of biomolecular condensates. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2025; 6:011310. [PMID: 40160200 PMCID: PMC11952833 DOI: 10.1063/5.0236610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2025] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
The central goal of mechanobiology is to understand how the mechanical forces and material properties of organelles, cells, and tissues influence biological processes and functions. Since the first description of biomolecular condensates, it was hypothesized that they obtain material properties that are tuned to their functions inside cells. Thus, they represent an intriguing playground for mechanobiology. The idea that biomolecular condensates exhibit diverse and adaptive material properties highlights the need to understand how different material states respond to external forces and whether these responses are linked to their physiological roles within the cell. For example, liquids buffer and dissipate, while solids store and transmit mechanical stress, and the relaxation time of a viscoelastic material can act as a mechanical frequency filter. Hence, a liquid-solid transition of a condensate in the force transmission pathway can determine how mechanical signals are transduced within and in-between cells, affecting differentiation, neuronal network dynamics, and behavior to external stimuli. Here, we first review our current understanding of the molecular drivers and how rigidity phase transitions are set forth in the complex cellular environment. We will then summarize the technical advancements that were necessary to obtain insights into the rich and fascinating mechanobiology of condensates, and finally, we will highlight recent examples of physiological liquid-solid transitions and their connection to specific cellular functions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive summary of the field on how cells harness and regulate condensate mechanics to achieve specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Sanfeliu-Cerdán
- ICFO - Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- ICFO - Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Hess N, Joseph JA. Structured protein domains enter the spotlight: modulators of biomolecular condensate form and function. Trends Biochem Sci 2025; 50:206-223. [PMID: 39827079 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.12.008] [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: 08/12/2024] [Revised: 11/18/2024] [Accepted: 12/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2025]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are membraneless organelles that concentrate proteins and nucleic acids. One of the primary components of condensates is multidomain proteins, whose domains can be broadly classified as structured and disordered. While structured protein domains are ubiquitous within biomolecular condensates, the physical ramifications of their unique properties have been relatively underexplored. Therefore, this review synthesizes current literature pertaining to structured protein domains within the context of condensates. We examine how the propensity of structured domains for high interaction specificity and low conformational heterogeneity contributes to the formation, material properties, and functions of biomolecular condensates. Finally, we propose unanswered questions on the behavior of structured protein domains within condensates, the answers of which will contribute to a more complete understanding of condensate biophysics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Hess
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jerelle A Joseph
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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12
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Racki LR, Freddolino L. Polyphosphate: The "Dark Matter" of Bacterial Chromatin Structure. Mol Microbiol 2025; 123:279-293. [PMID: 39967274 PMCID: PMC11894788 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15350] [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: 10/29/2024] [Revised: 01/29/2025] [Accepted: 01/31/2025] [Indexed: 02/20/2025]
Abstract
Polyphosphate (polyP), broadly defined, consists of a chain of orthophosphate units connected by phosphoanhydride bonds. PolyP is the only universal inorganic biopolymer known to date and is present in all three domains of life. At a first approximation polyP appears to be a simple, featureless, and flexible polyanion. A growing body of evidence suggests that polyP is not as featureless as originally thought: it can form a wide variety of complexes and condensates through association with proteins, nucleic acids, and inorganic ions. It is becoming apparent that the emergent properties of the condensate superstructures it forms are both complex and dynamic. Importantly, growing evidence suggests that polyP can affect bacterial chromatin, both directly and by mediating interactions between DNA and proteins. In an increasing number of contexts, it is becoming apparent that polyP profoundly impacts both chromosomal structure and gene regulation in bacteria, thus serving as a rarely considered, but highly important, component in bacterial nucleoid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R. Racki
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational BiologyScripps ResearchLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Lydia Freddolino
- Department of Biological ChemistryUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Department of Computational Medicine & BioinformaticsUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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13
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Ji BT, Pan HT, Qian ZG, Xia XX. Programming biological communication between distinct membraneless compartments. Nat Chem Biol 2025:10.1038/s41589-025-01840-4. [PMID: 39910287 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-01840-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2025] [Indexed: 02/07/2025]
Abstract
Distinct membraneless organelles within cells collaborate closely to organize crucial functions. However, biosynthetic communicating membraneless organelles have yet to be created. Here we report a binary population of membraneless compartments capable of coexistence, biological communication and controllable feedback under cellular environmental conditions. The compartment consortia emerge from two orthogonally phase-separating proteins in a cell-free expression system. Their appearance can be programmed in time and order for on-demand delivery of molecules. In particular, the consortia can sense, process and deliver functional protein cargo in response to a protease message or a DNA message that encodes the protease. Such DNA-based molecular programs can be further harnessed by installing a feedback loop that controls the information flow at the messenger RNA level. These results contribute to understanding crosstalk among membraneless organelles and provide a design principle that can guide construction of functional compartment consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Tao Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - He-Tong Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Gang Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Xia Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Holehouse AS, Alberti S. Molecular determinants of condensate composition. Mol Cell 2025; 85:290-308. [PMID: 39824169 PMCID: PMC11750178 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.12.021] [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: 10/10/2024] [Revised: 12/03/2024] [Accepted: 12/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/20/2025]
Abstract
Cells use membraneless compartments to organize their interiors, and recent research has begun to uncover the molecular principles underlying their assembly. Here, we explore how site-specific and chemically specific interactions shape the properties and functions of condensates. Site-specific recruitment involves precise interactions at specific sites driven by partially or fully structured interfaces. In contrast, chemically specific recruitment is driven by complementary chemical interactions without the requirement for a persistent bound-state structure. We propose that site-specific and chemically specific interactions work together to determine the composition of condensates, facilitate biochemical reactions, and regulate enzymatic activities linked to metabolism, signaling, and gene expression. Characterizing the composition of condensates requires novel experimental and computational tools to identify and manipulate the molecular determinants guiding condensate recruitment. Advancing this research will deepen our understanding of how condensates regulate cellular functions, providing valuable insights into cellular physiology and organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Biomolecular Condensates (CBC), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Simon Alberti
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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15
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Galvanetto N, Ivanović MT, Del Grosso SA, Chowdhury A, Sottini A, Nettels D, Best RB, Schuler B. Mesoscale properties of biomolecular condensates emerging from protein chain dynamics. ARXIV 2025:arXiv:2407.19202v2. [PMID: 39398199 PMCID: PMC11468658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates form by phase separation of biological polymers and have important functions in the cell - functions that are inherently connected to their physical properties. A remarkable aspect of such condensates is that their viscoelastic properties can vary by orders of magnitude, but it has remained unclear how these pronounced differences are rooted in the nanoscale dynamics at the molecular level. Here we investigate a series of condensates formed by complex coacervation that span about two orders of magnitude in molecular dynamics, diffusivity, and viscosity. We find that the nanoscale chain dynamics on the nano- to microsecond timescale can be accurately related to both translational diffusion and mesoscale condensate viscosity by analytical relations from polymer physics. Atomistic simulations reveal that the observed differences in friction - a key quantity underlying these relations - are caused by differences in inter-residue contact lifetimes, leading to the vastly different dynamics among the condensates. The rapid exchange of inter-residue contacts we observe may be a general mechanism for preventing dynamic arrest in compartments densely packed with polyelectrolytes, such as the cell nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Galvanetto
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Physics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miloš T Ivanović
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Aritra Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Sottini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert B Best
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Physics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Xu P, Schumacher D, Liu C, Harms A, Dickmanns M, Beck F, Plitzko JM, Baumeister W, Søgaard-Andersen L. In situ architecture of a nucleoid-associated biomolecular co-condensate that regulates bacterial cell division. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2025; 122:e2419610121. [PMID: 39739804 PMCID: PMC11725790 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2419610121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2024] [Accepted: 11/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/02/2025] Open
Abstract
In most bacteria, cell division depends on the tubulin-homolog FtsZ that polymerizes in a GTP-dependent manner to form the cytokinetic Z-ring at the future division site. Subsequently, the Z-ring recruits, directly or indirectly, all other proteins of the divisome complex that executes cytokinesis. A critical step in this process is the precise positioning of the Z-ring at the future division site. While the divisome proteins are generally conserved, the regulatory systems that position the Z-ring are more diverse. However, these systems have in common that they modulate FtsZ polymerization. In Myxococcus, PomX, PomY, and PomZ form precisely one MDa-sized, nonstoichiometric, nucleoid-associated assembly that spatiotemporally guides Z-ring formation. Here, using cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy together with in situ cryoelectron tomography, we determine the PomXYZ assembly's architecture at close-to-live conditions. PomX forms a porous meshwork of randomly intertwined filaments. Templated by this meshwork, the phase-separating PomY protein forms a biomolecular condensate that compacts and bends the PomX filaments, resulting in the formation of a selective PomXYZ co-condensate that is associated to the nucleoid by PomZ. These studies reveal a hitherto undescribed supramolecular structure and provide a framework for understanding how a nonstoichiometric co-condensate forms, maintains number control, and nucleates GTP-dependent FtsZ polymerization to precisely regulate cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xu
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Dominik Schumacher
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg35043, Germany
| | - Chuan Liu
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Andrea Harms
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg35043, Germany
| | - Marcel Dickmanns
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Florian Beck
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Jürgen M. Plitzko
- Research Group CryoEM Technology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Baumeister
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried82152, Germany
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg35043, Germany
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17
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Yang X, Rocks JW, Jiang K, Walters AJ, Rai K, Liu J, Nguyen J, Olson SD, Mehta P, Collins JJ, Daringer NM, Bashor CJ. Engineering synthetic phosphorylation signaling networks in human cells. Science 2025; 387:74-81. [PMID: 39745956 DOI: 10.1126/science.adm8485] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/04/2025]
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation signaling networks have a central role in how cells sense and respond to their environment. We engineered artificial phosphorylation networks in which reversible enzymatic phosphorylation cycles were assembled from modular protein domain parts and wired together to create synthetic phosphorylation circuits in human cells. Our design scheme enabled model-guided tuning of circuit function and the ability to make diverse network connections; synthetic phosphorylation circuits can be coupled to upstream cell surface receptors to enable fast-timescale sensing of extracellular ligands, and downstream connections can regulate gene expression. We engineered cell-based cytokine controllers that dynamically sense and suppress activated T cells. Our work introduces a generalizable approach that allows the design of signaling circuits that enable user-defined sense-and-respond function for diverse biosensing and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Synthetic Biology Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason W Rocks
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaiyi Jiang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew J Walters
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Synthetic Biology Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kshitij Rai
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Synthetic Biology Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason Nguyen
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott D Olson
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pankaj Mehta
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Computing and Data Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nichole M Daringer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
| | - Caleb J Bashor
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Synthetic Biology Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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18
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Huang X, Yang Y, Xu C. Biomolecular condensation programs floral transition to orchestrate flowering time and inflorescence architecture. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 245:88-94. [PMID: 39425452 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20204] [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: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/21/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation involves the concentration of biomolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins) into compartments to form membraneless organelles or condensates with unique properties and functions. This ubiquitous phenomenon has garnered considerable attention in recent years owing to its multifaceted roles in developmental processes and responses to environmental cues in living systems. Recent studies have revealed that biomolecular condensation plays essential roles in regulating the transition of plants from vegetative to reproductive growth, a programmed process known as floral transition that determines flowering time and inflorescence architecture in flowering plants. In this Tansley insight, we review advances in how biomolecular condensation integrates developmental and environmental signals to program and reprogram the floral transition thus diversifies flowering time and inflorescence architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozhen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yongfang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Cao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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19
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Scholl D, Boyd T, Latham AP, Salazar A, Khan A, Boeynaems S, Holehouse AS, Lander GC, Sali A, Park D, Deniz AA, Lasker K. Cellular Function of a Biomolecular Condensate Is Determined by Its Ultrastructure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.12.27.630454. [PMID: 39763716 PMCID: PMC11703246 DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.27.630454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2025]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates play key roles in the spatiotemporal regulation of cellular processes. Yet, the relationship between atomic features and condensate function remains poorly understood. We studied this relationship using the polar organizing protein Z (PopZ) as a model system, revealing how its material properties and cellular function depend on its ultrastructure. We revealed PopZ's hierarchical assembly into a filamentous condensate by integrating cryo-electron tomography, biochemistry, single-molecule techniques, and molecular dynamics simulations. The helical domain drives filamentation and condensation, while the disordered domain inhibits them. Phase-dependent conformational changes prevent interfilament contacts in the dilute phase and expose client binding sites in the dense phase. These findings establish a multiscale framework that links molecular interactions and condensate ultrastructure to macroscopic material properties that drive cellular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Scholl
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tumara Boyd
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrew P. Latham
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alexandra Salazar
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Asma Khan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND), Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (DLDCCC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Alex S. Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates (CBC), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | - Gabriel C. Lander
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrej Sali
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Donghyun Park
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ashok A. Deniz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Keren Lasker
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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20
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Gurunian A, Lasker K, Deniz AA. Biomolecular Condensates can Induce Local Membrane Potentials. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.12.27.630407. [PMID: 39763935 PMCID: PMC11703247 DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.27.630407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2025]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are a ubiquitous component of cells, known for their ability to selectively partition and compartmentalize biomolecules without the need for a lipid membrane. Nevertheless, condensates have been shown to interact with lipid membranes in diverse biological processes, such as autophagy and T-cell activation. Since many condensates are known to have a net surface charge density and associated electric potential(s), we hypothesized that they can induce a local membrane potential. Using an electrochromic dye, we demonstrate that poly-lysine/ATP condensates induce a localized membrane potential in Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. This effect diminishes with increasing salt concentration and higher ATP-to-poly-lysine ratios, underscoring the key role of condensate charge. Numerical modeling of the condensate-membrane interface using an electro-thermodynamic framework supports our experimental findings and highlights parameters expected to play a key role in the effect. These results have broad implications for biological processes regulated by membrane potential, particularly in contexts such as neuronal signaling, where condensate interactions with membranes may play a previously unrecognized regulatory role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Gurunian
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Keren Lasker
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Ashok A. Deniz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037
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21
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Wan L, Ke J, Zhu Y, Zhang W, Mu W. Recent advances in engineering synthetic biomolecular condensates. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 77:108452. [PMID: 39271032 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108452] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are intriguing entities found within living cells. These structures possess the ability to selectively concentrate specific components through phase separation, thereby playing a crucial role in the spatiotemporal regulation of a wide range of cellular processes and metabolic activities. To date, extensive studies have been dedicated to unraveling the intricate connections between molecular features, physical properties, and cellular functions of condensates. This collective effort has paved the way for deliberate engineering of tailor-made condensates with specific applications. In this review, we comprehensively examine the underpinnings governing condensate formation. Next, we summarize the material states of condensates and delve into the design of synthetic intrinsically disordered proteins with tunable phase behaviors and physical properties. Subsequently, we review the diverse biological functions demonstrated by synthetic biomolecular condensates, encompassing gene regulation, cellular behaviors, modulation of biochemical reactions, and manipulation of endogenous protein activities. Lastly, we discuss future challenges and opportunities in constructing synthetic condensates with tunable physical properties and customized cellular functions, which may shed light on the development of new types of sophisticated condensate systems with distinct functions applicable to various scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Juntao Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wanmeng Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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22
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Dai Y, Wang ZG, Zare RN. Unlocking the electrochemical functions of biomolecular condensates. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:1420-1433. [PMID: 39327453 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01717-y] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation is a key mechanism for organizing cellular processes in a spatiotemporal manner. The phase-transition nature of this process defines a density transition of the whole solution system. However, the physicochemical features and the electrochemical functions brought about by condensate formation are largely unexplored. We here illustrate the fundamental principles of how the formation of condensates generates distinct electrochemical features in the dilute phase, the dense phase and the interfacial region. We discuss the principles by which these distinct chemical and electrochemical environments can modulate biomolecular functions through the effects brought about by water, ions and electric fields. We delineate the potential impacts on cellular behaviors due to the modulation of chemical and electrochemical environments through condensate formation. This Perspective is intended to serve as a general road map to conceptualize condensates as electrochemically active entities and to assess their functions from a physical chemistry aspect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Zhen-Gang Wang
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Richard N Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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23
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Ahmed YM, Brown LM, Varga K, Bowman GR. Phospho-signaling couples polar asymmetry and proteolysis within a membraneless microdomain in Caulobacter crescentus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9282. [PMID: 39468040 PMCID: PMC11519897 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53395-y] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Asymmetric cell division in bacteria is achieved through cell polarization, where regulatory proteins are directed to specific cell poles. In Caulobacter crescentus, both poles contain a membraneless microdomain, established by the polar assembly hub PopZ, through most of the cell cycle, yet many PopZ clients are unipolar and transiently localized. We find that PopZ's interaction with the response regulator CpdR is controlled by phosphorylation, via the histidine kinase CckA. Phosphorylated CpdR does not interact with PopZ and is not localized to cell poles. At poles where CckA acts as a phosphatase, dephosphorylated CpdR binds directly with PopZ and subsequently recruits ClpX, substrates, and other members of a protease complex to the cell pole. We also find that co-recruitment of protease components and substrates to polar microdomains enhances their coordinated activity. This study connects phospho-signaling with polar assembly and the activity of a protease that triggers cell cycle progression and cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasin M Ahmed
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Logan M Brown
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Krisztina Varga
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Grant R Bowman
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.
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24
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Favetta B, Wang H, Cubuk J, Barai M, Ramirez C, Gormley AJ, Murthy S, Soranno A, Shi Z, Schuster BS. Phosphorylation Toggles the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein Between Two Membrane-Associated Condensate States. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.10.17.618867. [PMID: 39464032 PMCID: PMC11507936 DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.17.618867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein (N) performs several functions during the viral lifecycle, including transcription regulation and viral genome encapsulation. We hypothesized that N toggles between these functions via phosphorylation-induced conformational change, thereby altering N interactions with membranes and RNA. We found that phosphorylation changes how biomolecular condensates composed of N and RNA interact with membranes: phosphorylated N (pN) condensates form thin films, while condensates with unmodified N are engulfed. This partly results from changes in material properties, with pN forming less viscous and elastic condensates. The weakening of protein-RNA interaction in condensates upon phosphorylation is driven by a decrease in binding between pN and unstructured RNA. We show that phosphorylation induces a conformational change in the serine/arginine-rich region of N that increases interaction between pN monomers and decreases nonspecific interaction with RNA. These findings connect the conformation, material properties, and membrane-associated states of N, with potential implications for COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Favetta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Jasmine Cubuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Mayur Barai
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Cesar Ramirez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Adam J Gormley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Sanjeeva Murthy
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Andrea Soranno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Zheng Shi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Benjamin S Schuster
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
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25
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Dai Y, Zhou Z, Yu W, Ma Y, Kim K, Rivera N, Mohammed J, Lantelme E, Hsu-Kim H, Chilkoti A, You L. Biomolecular condensates regulate cellular electrochemical equilibria. Cell 2024; 187:5951-5966.e18. [PMID: 39260373 PMCID: PMC11490381 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.018] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Control of the electrochemical environment in living cells is typically attributed to ion channels. Here, we show that the formation of biomolecular condensates can modulate the electrochemical environment in bacterial cells, which affects cellular processes globally. Condensate formation generates an electric potential gradient, which directly affects the electrochemical properties of a cell, including cytoplasmic pH and membrane potential. Condensate formation also amplifies cell-cell variability of their electrochemical properties due to passive environmental effect. The modulation of the electrochemical equilibria further controls cell-environment interactions, thus directly influencing bacterial survival under antibiotic stress. The condensate-mediated shift in intracellular electrochemical equilibria drives a change of the global gene expression profile. Our work reveals the biochemical functions of condensates, which extend beyond the functions of biomolecules driving and participating in condensate formation, and uncovers a role of condensates in regulating global cellular physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Zhengqing Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Wen Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Yuefeng Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Kyeri Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nelson Rivera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Javid Mohammed
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Erica Lantelme
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA; Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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26
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Barros-Medina I, Robles-Ramos MÁ, Sobrinos-Sanguino M, Luque-Ortega JR, Alfonso C, Margolin W, Rivas G, Monterroso B, Zorrilla S. Evidence for biomolecular condensates of MatP in spatiotemporal regulation of the bacterial cell division cycle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.23.604758. [PMID: 39211257 PMCID: PMC11361077 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.23.604758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
An increasing number of proteins involved in bacterial cell cycle events have been recently shown to undergo phase separation. The resulting biomolecular condensates play an important role in cell cycle protein function and may be involved in development of persister cells tolerant to antibiotics. Here we report that the E. coli chromosomal Ter macrodomain organizer MatP, a division site selection protein implicated in the coordination of chromosome segregation with cell division, forms biomolecular condensates in cytomimetic systems. These condensates are favored by crowding and preferentially localize at the membrane of microfluidics droplets, a behavior probably mediated by MatP-lipid binding. Condensates are negatively regulated and partially dislodged from the membrane by DNA sequences recognized by MatP ( matS ), which partition into them. Unexpectedly, MatP condensation is enhanced by FtsZ, a core component of the division machinery previously described to undergo phase separation. Our biophysical analyses uncover a direct interaction between the two proteins, disrupted by matS sequences. This binding might have implications for FtsZ ring positioning at mid-cell by the Ter linkage, which comprises MatP and two other proteins that bridge the canonical MatP/FtsZ interaction. FtsZ/MatP condensates interconvert with bundles in response to GTP addition, providing additional levels of regulation. Consistent with discrete foci reported in cells, MatP biomolecular condensates may facilitate MatP's role in chromosome organization and spatiotemporal regulation of cytokinesis and DNA segregation. Moreover, sequestration of MatP in these membraneless compartments, with or without FtsZ, could promote cell entry into dormant states that are able to survive antibiotic treatments.
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27
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Rizvi A, Favetta B, Jaber N, Lee YK, Jiang J, Idris NS, Schuster BS, Dai W, Patterson JP. Revealing nanoscale structure and interfaces of protein and polymer condensates via cryo-electron microscopy. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:16706-16717. [PMID: 39171763 PMCID: PMC11392623 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01877j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a ubiquitous demixing phenomenon observed in various molecular solutions, including in polymer and protein solutions. Demixing of solutions results in condensed, phase separated droplets which exhibit a range of liquid-like properties driven by transient intermolecular interactions. Understanding the organization within these condensates is crucial for deciphering their material properties and functions. This study explores the distinct nanoscale networks and interfaces in the condensate samples using a modified cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) method. The method involves initiating condensate formation on electron microscopy grids to limit droplet growth as large droplet sizes are not ideal for cryo-EM imaging. The versatility of this method is demonstrated by imaging three different classes of condensates. We further investigate the condensate structures using cryo-electron tomography which provides 3D reconstructions, uncovering porous internal structures, unique core-shell morphologies, and inhomogeneities within the nanoscale organization of protein condensates. Comparison with dry-state transmission electron microscopy emphasizes the importance of preserving the hydrated structure of condensates for accurate structural analysis. We correlate the internal structure of protein condensates with their amino acid sequences and material properties by performing viscosity measurements that support that more viscous condensates exhibit denser internal assemblies. Our findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of nanoscale condensate structure and its material properties. Our approach here provides a versatile tool for exploring various phase-separated systems and their nanoscale structures for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoon Rizvi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA.
| | - Bruna Favetta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nora Jaber
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience & Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Yun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience & Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jennifer Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience & Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nehal S Idris
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA.
| | - Benjamin S Schuster
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience & Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
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28
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Doan VS, Alshareedah I, Singh A, Banerjee PR, Shin S. Diffusiophoresis promotes phase separation and transport of biomolecular condensates. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7686. [PMID: 39227569 PMCID: PMC11372141 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51840-6] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The internal microenvironment of a living cell is heterogeneous and comprises a multitude of organelles with distinct biochemistry. Amongst them are biomolecular condensates, which are membrane-less, phase-separated compartments enriched in system-specific proteins and nucleic acids. The heterogeneity of the cell engenders the presence of multiple spatiotemporal gradients in chemistry, charge, concentration, temperature, and pressure. Such thermodynamic gradients can lead to non-equilibrium driving forces for the formation and transport of biomolecular condensates. Here, we report how ion gradients impact the transport processes of biomolecular condensates on the mesoscale and biomolecules on the microscale. Utilizing a microfluidic platform, we demonstrate that the presence of ion concentration gradients can accelerate the transport of biomolecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, via diffusiophoresis. This hydrodynamic transport process allows localized enrichment of biomolecules, thereby promoting the location-specific formation of biomolecular condensates via phase separation. The ion gradients further impart directional motility of condensates, allowing them to exhibit enhanced diffusion along the gradient. Coupled with a reentrant phase behavior, the gradient-induced enhanced motility leads to a dynamical redistribution of condensates that ultimately extends their lifetime. Together, our results demonstrate diffusiophoresis as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic force that governs the formation and transport of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet Sang Doan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ibraheem Alshareedah
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Anurag Singh
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Priya R Banerjee
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
| | - Sangwoo Shin
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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29
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Wan L, Zhu Y, Ke J, Zhang W, Mu W. Compartmentalization of pathway sequential enzymes into synthetic protein compartments for metabolic flux optimization in Escherichia coli. Metab Eng 2024; 85:167-179. [PMID: 39163974 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.08.003] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Advancing the formation of artificial membraneless compartments with organizational complexity and diverse functionality remains a challenge. Typically, synthetic compartments or membraneless organelles are made up of intrinsically disordered proteins featuring low-complexity sequences or polypeptides with repeated distinctive short linear motifs. In order to expand the repertoire of tools available for the formation of synthetic membraneless compartments, here, a range of DIshevelled and aXin (DIX) or DIX-like domains undergoing head-to-tail polymerization were demonstrated to self-assemble into aggregates and generate synthetic compartments within E. coli cells. Then, synthetic complex compartments with diverse intracellular morphologies were generated by coexpressing different DIX domains. Further, we genetically incorporated a pair of interacting motifs, comprising a homo-dimeric domain and its anchoring peptide, into the DIX domain and cargo proteins, respectively, resulting in the alteration of both material properties and client recruitment of synthetic compartments. As a proof-of-concept, several human milk oligosaccharide biosynthesis pathways were chosen as model systems. The findings indicated that the recruitment of pathway sequential enzymes into synthetic compartments formed by DIX-DIX heterotypic interactions or by DIX domains embedded with specific interacting motifs efficiently boosted metabolic pathway flux and improved the production of desired chemicals. We propose that these synthetic compartment systems present a potent and adaptable toolkit for controlling metabolic flux and facilitating cellular engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Juntao Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Wanmeng Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.
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30
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Sasazawa M, Tomares DT, Childers WS, Saurabh S. Biomolecular condensates as stress sensors and modulators of bacterial signaling. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012413. [PMID: 39146259 PMCID: PMC11326607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012413] [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: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbes exhibit remarkable adaptability to environmental fluctuations. Signaling mechanisms, such as two-component systems and secondary messengers, have long been recognized as critical for sensing and responding to environmental cues. However, recent research has illuminated the potential of a physical adaptation mechanism in signaling-phase separation, which may represent a ubiquitous mechanism for compartmentalizing biochemistry within the cytoplasm in the context of bacteria that frequently lack membrane-bound organelles. This review considers the broader prospect that phase separation may play critical roles as rapid stress sensing and response mechanisms within pathogens. It is well established that weak multivalent interactions between disordered regions, coiled-coils, and other structured domains can form condensates via phase separation and be regulated by specific environmental parameters in some cases. The process of phase separation itself acts as a responsive sensor, influenced by changes in protein concentration, posttranslational modifications, temperature, salts, pH, and oxidative stresses. This environmentally triggered phase separation can, in turn, regulate the functions of recruited biomolecules, providing a rapid response to stressful conditions. As examples, we describe biochemical pathways organized by condensates that are essential for cell physiology and exhibit signaling features. These include proteins that organize and modify the chromosome (Dps, Hu, SSB), regulate the decay, and modification of RNA (RNase E, Hfq, Rho, RNA polymerase), those involved in signal transduction (PopZ, PodJ, and SpmX) and stress response (aggresomes and polyphosphate granules). We also summarize the potential of proteins within pathogens to function as condensates and the potential and challenges in targeting biomolecular condensates for next-generation antimicrobial therapeutics. Together, this review illuminates the emerging significance of biomolecular condensates in microbial signaling, stress responses, and regulation of cell physiology and provides a framework for microbiologists to consider the function of biomolecular condensates in microbial adaptation and response to diverse environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moeka Sasazawa
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Dylan T Tomares
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - W Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Saumya Saurabh
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
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31
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Wan L, Zhu Y, Zhang W, Mu W. Recent advances in design and application of synthetic membraneless organelles. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108355. [PMID: 38588907 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108355] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) have been extensively studied due to their spatiotemporal control of biochemical and cellular processes in living cells. These findings have provided valuable insights into the physicochemical principles underlying the formation and functionalization of biomolecular condensates, which paves the way for the development of versatile phase-separating systems capable of addressing a variety of application scenarios. Here, we highlight the potential of constructing synthetic MLOs with programmable and functional properties. Notably, we organize how these synthetic membraneless compartments have been capitalized to manipulate enzymatic activities and metabolic reactions. The aim of this review is to inspire readerships to deeply comprehend the widespread roles of synthetic MLOs in the regulation enzymatic reactions and control of metabolic processes, and to encourage the rational design of controllable and functional membraneless compartments for a broad range of bioengineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wanmeng Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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32
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Payne-Dwyer A, Kumar G, Barrett J, Gherman LK, Hodgkinson M, Plevin M, Mackinder L, Leake MC, Schaefer C. Predicting Rubisco-Linker Condensation from Titration in the Dilute Phase. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:218401. [PMID: 38856270 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.218401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The condensation of Rubisco holoenzymes and linker proteins into "pyrenoids," a crucial supercharger of photosynthesis in algae, is qualitatively understood in terms of "sticker-and-spacer" theory. We derive semianalytical partition sums for small Rubisco-linker aggregates, which enable the calculation of both dilute-phase titration curves and dimerization diagrams. By fitting the titration curves to surface plasmon resonance and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy data, we extract the molecular properties needed to predict dimerization diagrams. We use these to estimate typical concentrations for condensation, and successfully compare these to microscopy observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Payne-Dwyer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - James Barrett
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Laura K Gherman
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, The University of York; York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hodgkinson
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Plevin
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, The University of York; York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Mackinder
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Mark C Leake
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Charley Schaefer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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33
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Wang H, Liao S, Yu X, Zhang J, Zhou ZH. TomoNet: A streamlined cryogenic electron tomography software pipeline with automatic particle picking on flexible lattices. BIOLOGICAL IMAGING 2024; 4:e7. [PMID: 38828212 PMCID: PMC11140495 DOI: 10.1017/s2633903x24000060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET) is capable of determining in situ biological structures of molecular complexes at near-atomic resolution by averaging half a million subtomograms. While abundant complexes/particles are often clustered in arrays, precisely locating and seamlessly averaging such particles across many tomograms present major challenges. Here, we developed TomoNet, a software package with a modern graphical user interface to carry out the entire pipeline of cryoET and subtomogram averaging to achieve high resolution. TomoNet features built-in automatic particle picking and three-dimensional (3D) classification functions and integrates commonly used packages to streamline high-resolution subtomogram averaging for structures in 1D, 2D, or 3D arrays. Automatic particle picking is accomplished in two complementary ways: one based on template matching and the other using deep learning. TomoNet's hierarchical file organization and visual display facilitate efficient data management as required for large cryoET datasets. Applications of TomoNet to three types of datasets demonstrate its capability of efficient and accurate particle picking on flexible and imperfect lattices to obtain high-resolution 3D biological structures: virus-like particles, bacterial surface layers within cellular lamellae, and membranes decorated with nuclear egress protein complexes. These results demonstrate TomoNet's potential for broad applications to various cryoET projects targeting high-resolution in situ structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shiqing Liao
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinye Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiayan Zhang
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Z. Hong Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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34
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Lee M, Moon HC, Jeong H, Kim DW, Park HY, Shin Y. Optogenetic control of mRNA condensation reveals an intimate link between condensate material properties and functions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3216. [PMID: 38622120 PMCID: PMC11018775 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47442-x] [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: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, often assembled through phase transition mechanisms, play key roles in organizing diverse cellular activities. The material properties of condensates, ranging from liquid droplets to solid-like glasses or gels, are key features impacting the way resident components associate with one another. However, it remains unclear whether and how different material properties would influence specific cellular functions of condensates. Here, we combine optogenetic control of phase separation with single-molecule mRNA imaging to study relations between phase behaviors and functional performance of condensates. Using light-activated condensation, we show that sequestering target mRNAs into condensates causes translation inhibition. Orthogonal mRNA imaging reveals highly transient nature of interactions between individual mRNAs and condensates. Tuning condensate composition and material property towards more solid-like states leads to stronger translational repression, concomitant with a decrease in molecular mobility. We further demonstrate that β-actin mRNA sequestration in neurons suppresses spine enlargement during chemically induced long-term potentiation. Our work highlights how the material properties of condensates can modulate functions, a mechanism that may play a role in fine-tuning the output of condensate-driven cellular activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyungseok C Moon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeonjeong Jeong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Dong Wook Kim
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye Yoon Park
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
| | - Yongdae Shin
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
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35
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Hoang Y, Azaldegui CA, Dow RE, Ghalmi M, Biteen JS, Vecchiarelli AG. An experimental framework to assess biomolecular condensates in bacteria. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3222. [PMID: 38622124 PMCID: PMC11018776 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47330-4] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
High-resolution imaging of biomolecular condensates in living cells is essential for correlating their properties to those observed through in vitro assays. However, such experiments are limited in bacteria due to resolution limitations. Here we present an experimental framework that probes the formation, reversibility, and dynamics of condensate-forming proteins in Escherichia coli as a means to determine the nature of biomolecular condensates in bacteria. We demonstrate that condensates form after passing a threshold concentration, maintain a soluble fraction, dissolve upon shifts in temperature and concentration, and exhibit dynamics consistent with internal rearrangement and exchange between condensed and soluble fractions. We also discover that an established marker for insoluble protein aggregates, IbpA, has different colocalization patterns with bacterial condensates and aggregates, demonstrating its potential applicability as a reporter to differentiate the two in vivo. Overall, this framework provides a generalizable, accessible, and rigorous set of experiments to probe the nature of biomolecular condensates on the sub-micron scale in bacterial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Hoang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | | | - Rachel E Dow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Maria Ghalmi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Julie S Biteen
- Doctoral Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Anthony G Vecchiarelli
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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36
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Su J, Xu X, Cseke LJ, Whittier S, Zhou R, Zhang Z, Dietz Z, Singh K, Yang B, Chen SY, Picking W, Zou X, Gassmann W. Cell-specific polymerization-driven biomolecular condensate formation fine-tunes root tissue morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.02.587845. [PMID: 38617336 PMCID: PMC11014531 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Formation of biomolecular condensates can be driven by weak multivalent interactions and emergent polymerization. However, the mechanism of polymerization-mediated condensate formation is less studied. We found lateral root cap cell (LRC)-specific SUPPRESSOR OF RPS4-RLD1 (SRFR1) condensates fine-tune primary root development. Polymerization of the SRFR1 N-terminal domain is required for both LRC condensate formation and optimal root growth. Surprisingly, the first intrinsically disordered region (IDR1) of SRFR1 can be functionally substituted by a specific group of intrinsically disordered proteins known as dehydrins. This finding facilitated the identification of functional segments in the IDR1 of SRFR1, a generalizable strategy to decode unknown IDRs. With this functional information we further improved root growth by modifying the SRFR1 condensation module, providing a strategy to improve plant growth and resilience.
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37
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Sundaravadivelu Devarajan D, Wang J, Szała-Mendyk B, Rekhi S, Nikoubashman A, Kim YC, Mittal J. Sequence-dependent material properties of biomolecular condensates and their relation to dilute phase conformations. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1912. [PMID: 38429263 PMCID: PMC10907393 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46223-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Material properties of phase-separated biomolecular condensates, enriched with disordered proteins, dictate many cellular functions. Contrary to the progress made in understanding the sequence-dependent phase separation of proteins, little is known about the sequence determinants of condensate material properties. Using the hydropathy scale and Martini models, we computationally decipher these relationships for charge-rich disordered protein condensates. Our computations yield dynamical, rheological, and interfacial properties of condensates that are quantitatively comparable with experimentally characterized condensates. Interestingly, we find that the material properties of model and natural proteins respond similarly to charge segregation, despite different sequence compositions. Molecular interactions within the condensates closely resemble those within the single-chain ensembles. Consequently, the material properties strongly correlate with molecular contact dynamics and single-chain structural properties. We demonstrate the potential to harness the sequence characteristics of disordered proteins for predicting and engineering the material properties of functional condensates, with insights from the dilute phase properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Beata Szała-Mendyk
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Shiv Rekhi
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Arash Nikoubashman
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Young C Kim
- Center for Materials Physics and Technology, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, 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.
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38
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Holehouse AS, Kragelund BB. The molecular basis for cellular function of intrinsically disordered protein regions. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:187-211. [PMID: 37957331 PMCID: PMC11459374 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 175.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered protein regions exist in a collection of dynamic interconverting conformations that lack a stable 3D structure. These regions are structurally heterogeneous, ubiquitous and found across all kingdoms of life. Despite the absence of a defined 3D structure, disordered regions are essential for cellular processes ranging from transcriptional control and cell signalling to subcellular organization. Through their conformational malleability and adaptability, disordered regions extend the repertoire of macromolecular interactions and are readily tunable by their structural and chemical context, making them ideal responders to regulatory cues. Recent work has led to major advances in understanding the link between protein sequence and conformational behaviour in disordered regions, yet the link between sequence and molecular function is less well defined. Here we consider the biochemical and biophysical foundations that underlie how and why disordered regions can engage in productive cellular functions, provide examples of emerging concepts and discuss how protein disorder contributes to intracellular information processing and regulation of cellular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Birthe B Kragelund
- REPIN, Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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39
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Monterroso B, Margolin W, Boersma AJ, Rivas G, Poolman B, Zorrilla S. Macromolecular Crowding, Phase Separation, and Homeostasis in the Orchestration of Bacterial Cellular Functions. Chem Rev 2024; 124:1899-1949. [PMID: 38331392 PMCID: PMC10906006 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00622] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Macromolecular crowding affects the activity of proteins and functional macromolecular complexes in all cells, including bacteria. Crowding, together with physicochemical parameters such as pH, ionic strength, and the energy status, influences the structure of the cytoplasm and thereby indirectly macromolecular function. Notably, crowding also promotes the formation of biomolecular condensates by phase separation, initially identified in eukaryotic cells but more recently discovered to play key functions in bacteria. Bacterial cells require a variety of mechanisms to maintain physicochemical homeostasis, in particular in environments with fluctuating conditions, and the formation of biomolecular condensates is emerging as one such mechanism. In this work, we connect physicochemical homeostasis and macromolecular crowding with the formation and function of biomolecular condensates in the bacterial cell and compare the supramolecular structures found in bacteria with those of eukaryotic cells. We focus on the effects of crowding and phase separation on the control of bacterial chromosome replication, segregation, and cell division, and we discuss the contribution of biomolecular condensates to bacterial cell fitness and adaptation to environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Monterroso
- Department
of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas
Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - William Margolin
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth-Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Arnold J. Boersma
- Cellular
Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty
of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Germán Rivas
- Department
of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas
Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Silvia Zorrilla
- Department
of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas
Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
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40
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Liu C, Mentzelopoulou A, Hatzianestis IH, Tzagkarakis E, Skaltsogiannis V, Ma X, Michalopoulou VA, Romero-Campero FJ, Romero-Losada AB, Sarris PF, Marhavy P, Bölter B, Kanterakis A, Gutierrez-Beltran E, Moschou PN. A proxitome-RNA-capture approach reveals that processing bodies repress coregulated hub genes. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:559-584. [PMID: 37971938 PMCID: PMC10896293 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Cellular condensates are usually ribonucleoprotein assemblies with liquid- or solid-like properties. Because these subcellular structures lack a delineating membrane, determining their compositions is difficult. Here we describe a proximity-biotinylation approach for capturing the RNAs of the condensates known as processing bodies (PBs) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). By combining this approach with RNA detection, in silico, and high-resolution imaging approaches, we studied PBs under normal conditions and heat stress. PBs showed a much more dynamic RNA composition than the total transcriptome. RNAs involved in cell wall development and regeneration, plant hormonal signaling, secondary metabolism/defense, and RNA metabolism were enriched in PBs. RNA-binding proteins and the liquidity of PBs modulated RNA recruitment, while RNAs were frequently recruited together with their encoded proteins. In PBs, RNAs follow distinct fates: in small liquid-like PBs, RNAs get degraded while in more solid-like larger ones, they are stored. PB properties can be regulated by the actin-polymerizing SCAR (suppressor of the cyclic AMP)-WAVE (WASP family verprolin homologous) complex. SCAR/WAVE modulates the shuttling of RNAs between PBs and the translational machinery, thereby adjusting ethylene signaling. In summary, we provide an approach to identify RNAs in condensates that allowed us to reveal a mechanism for regulating RNA fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Andriani Mentzelopoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
| | - Ioannis H Hatzianestis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
| | | | - Vasileios Skaltsogiannis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
| | - Xuemin Ma
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Vassiliki A Michalopoulou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
| | - Francisco J Romero-Campero
- Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Universidad de Sevilla, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n, Seville 41012, Spain
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Ana B Romero-Losada
- Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Universidad de Sevilla, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n, Seville 41012, Spain
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Panagiotis F Sarris
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter Marhavy
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bettina Bölter
- Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Plant Biochemistry, Großhadernerstr. 2-4, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Alexandros Kanterakis
- Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Emilio Gutierrez-Beltran
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquímica Vegetal y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Panagiotis N Moschou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 70013, Greece
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
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41
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Doan VS, Alshareedah I, Singh A, Banerjee PR, Shin S. Diffusiophoresis promotes phase separation and transport of biomolecular condensates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.03.547532. [PMID: 37461689 PMCID: PMC10350024 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.03.547532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The internal microenvironment of a living cell is heterogeneous and comprises a multitude of organelles with distinct biochemistry. Amongst them are biomolecular condensates, which are membrane-less, phase-separated compartments enriched in system-specific proteins and nucleic acids. The heterogeneity of the cell engenders the presence of multiple spatiotemporal gradients in chemistry, charge, concentration, temperature, and pressure. Such thermodynamic gradients can lead to non-equilibrium driving forces for the formation and transport of biomolecular condensates. Here, we report how ion gradients impact the transport processes of biomolecular condensates on the mesoscale and biomolecules on the microscale. Utilizing a microfluidic platform, we demonstrate that the presence of ion concentration gradients can accelerate the transport of biomolecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, via diffusiophoresis. This hydrodynamic transport process allows localized enrichment of biomolecules, thereby promoting the location-specific formation of biomolecular condensates via phase separation. The ion gradients further impart active motility of condensates, allowing them to exhibit enhanced diffusion along the gradient. Coupled with a reentrant phase behavior, the gradient-induced active motility leads to a dynamical redistribution of condensates that ultimately extends their lifetime. Together, our results demonstrate diffusiophoresis as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic force that governs the formation and transport of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet Sang Doan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | - Ibraheem Alshareedah
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | - Anurag Singh
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | - Priya R. Banerjee
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | - Sangwoo Shin
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
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42
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Devarajan DS, Wang J, Szała-Mendyk B, Rekhi S, Nikoubashman A, Kim YC, Mittal J. Sequence-Dependent Material Properties of Biomolecular Codensates and their Relation to Dilute Phase Conformations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.09.540038. [PMID: 37215004 PMCID: PMC10197689 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.09.540038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Material properties of phase-separated biomolecular assemblies, enriched with disordered proteins, dictate their ability to participate in many cellular functions. Despite the significant effort dedicated to understanding how the sequence of the disordered protein drives its phase separation to form condensates, little is known about the sequence determinants of condensate material properties. Here, we computationally decipher these relationships for charged disordered proteins using model sequences comprised of glutamic acid and lysine residues as well as naturally occurring sequences of LAF1's RGG domain and DDX4's N-terminal domain. We do so by delineating how the arrangement of oppositely charged residues within these sequences influences the dynamical, rheological, and interfacial properties of the condensed phase through equilibrium and non-equilibrium molecular simulations using the hydropathy scale and Martini models. Our computations yield material properties that are quantitatively comparable with experimentally characterized condensate systems. Interestingly, we find that the material properties of both the model and natural proteins respond similarly to the segregation of charges, despite their very different sequence compositions. Condensates of the highly charge-segregated sequences exhibit slower dynamics than the uniformly charge-patterned sequences, because of their comparatively long-lived molecular contacts between oppositely charged residues. Surprisingly, the molecular interactions within the condensate are highly similar to those within a single-chain for all sequences. Consequently, the condensate material properties of charged disordered proteins are strongly correlated with their dense phase contact dynamics and their single-chain structural properties. Our findings demonstrate the potential to harness the sequence characteristics of disordered proteins for predicting and engineering the material properties of functional condensates, with insights from the dilute phase properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Beata Szała-Mendyk
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Shiv Rekhi
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Arash Nikoubashman
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Young C. Kim
- Center for Materials Physics and Technology, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, United States
| | - Jeetain Mittal
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
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43
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Chong TN, Panjalingam M, Saurabh S, Shapiro L. Phosphatase to kinase switch of a critical enzyme contributes to timing of cell differentiation. mBio 2024; 15:e0212523. [PMID: 38055339 PMCID: PMC10790692 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02125-23] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The process of cell differentiation is highly regulated in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The aquatic bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, undergoes programmed cell differentiation from a motile swarmer cell to a stationary stalked cell with each cell cycle. This critical event is regulated at multiple levels. Kinase activity of the bifunctional enzyme, PleC, is limited to a brief period when it initiates the molecular signaling cascade that results in cell differentiation. Conversely, PleC phosphatase activity is required for pili formation and flagellar rotation. We show that PleC is localized to the flagellar pole by the scaffold protein, PodJ, which is known to suppress PleC kinase activity in vitro. PleC mutants that are unable to bind PodJ have increased kinase activity in vivo, resulting in premature differentiation. We propose a model in which PodJ regulation of PleC's enzymatic activity contributes to the robust timing of cell differentiation during the Caulobacter cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trisha N. Chong
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Mayura Panjalingam
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Saumya Saurabh
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lucy Shapiro
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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44
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Hilditch AT, Romanyuk A, Cross SJ, Obexer R, McManus JJ, Woolfson DN. Assembling membraneless organelles from de novo designed proteins. Nat Chem 2024; 16:89-97. [PMID: 37710047 PMCID: PMC10774119 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01321-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in de novo protein design have delivered a diversity of discrete de novo protein structures and complexes. A new challenge for the field is to use these designs directly in cells to intervene in biological processes and augment natural systems. The bottom-up design of self-assembled objects such as microcompartments and membraneless organelles is one such challenge. Here we describe the design of genetically encoded polypeptides that form membraneless organelles in Escherichia coli. To do this, we combine de novo α-helical sequences, intrinsically disordered linkers and client proteins in single-polypeptide constructs. We tailor the properties of the helical regions to shift protein assembly from arrested assemblies to dynamic condensates. The designs are characterized in cells and in vitro using biophysical methods and soft-matter physics. Finally, we use the designed polypeptide to co-compartmentalize a functional enzyme pair in E. coli, improving product formation close to the theoretical limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Hilditch
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrey Romanyuk
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen J Cross
- Wolfson Bioimaging Facility, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Richard Obexer
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Jennifer J McManus
- HH Wills Physics Laboratory, School of Physics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Bristol BioDesign Institute, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Bristol BioDesign Institute, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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45
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Zhou P, Gao C, Song W, Wei W, Wu J, Liu L, Chen X. Engineering status of protein for improving microbial cell factories. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 70:108282. [PMID: 37939975 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108282] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
With the development of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, microbial cell factories (MCFs) have provided an efficient and sustainable method to synthesize a series of chemicals from renewable feedstocks. However, the efficiency of MCFs is usually limited by the inappropriate status of protein. Thus, engineering status of protein is essential to achieve efficient bioproduction with high titer, yield and productivity. In this review, we summarize the engineering strategies for metabolic protein status, including protein engineering for boosting microbial catalytic efficiency, protein modification for regulating microbial metabolic capacity, and protein assembly for enhancing microbial synthetic capacity. Finally, we highlight future challenges and prospects of improving microbial cell factories by engineering status of protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Cong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Wei Song
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Wanqing Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jing Wu
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Liming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xiulai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
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46
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Ramšak M, Ramirez DA, Hough LE, Shirts MR, Vidmar S, Eleršič Filipič K, Anderluh G, Jerala R. Programmable de novo designed coiled coil-mediated phase separation in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7973. [PMID: 38042897 PMCID: PMC10693550 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43742-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Membraneless liquid compartments based on phase-separating biopolymers have been observed in diverse cell types and attributed to weak multivalent interactions predominantly based on intrinsically disordered domains. The design of liquid-liquid phase separated (LLPS) condensates based on de novo designed tunable modules that interact in a well-understood, controllable manner could improve our understanding of this phenomenon and enable the introduction of new features. Here we report the construction of CC-LLPS in mammalian cells, based on designed coiled-coil (CC) dimer-forming modules, where the stability of CC pairs, their number, linkers, and sequential arrangement govern the transition between diffuse, liquid and immobile condensates and are corroborated by coarse-grained molecular simulations. Through modular design, we achieve multiple coexisting condensates, chemical regulation of LLPS, condensate fusion, formation from either one or two polypeptide components or LLPS regulation by a third polypeptide chain. These findings provide further insights into the principles underlying LLPS formation and a design platform for controlling biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maruša Ramšak
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Interdisciplinary doctoral study of biomedicine, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dominique A Ramirez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Loren E Hough
- Department of Physics and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Michael R Shirts
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Sara Vidmar
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Interdisciplinary doctoral study of biomedicine, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Kristina Eleršič Filipič
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Roman Jerala
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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47
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Szoke T, Goldberger O, Albocher-Kedem N, Barsheshet M, Dezorella N, Nussbaum-Shochat A, Wiener R, Schuldiner M, Amster-Choder O. Regulation of major bacterial survival strategies by transcripts sequestration in a membraneless organelle. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113393. [PMID: 37934665 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113393] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
TmaR, the only known pole-localizer protein in Escherichia coli, was shown to cluster at the cell poles and control localization and activity of the major sugar regulator in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner. Here, we show that TmaR assembles by phase separation (PS) via heterotypic interactions with RNA in vivo and in vitro. An unbiased automated mutant screen combined with directed mutagenesis and genetic manipulations uncovered the importance of a predicted nucleic-acid-binding domain, a disordered region, and charged patches, one containing the phosphorylated tyrosine, for TmaR condensation. We demonstrate that, by protecting flagella-related transcripts, TmaR controls flagella production and, thus, cell motility and biofilm formation. These results connect PS in bacteria to survival and provide an explanation for the linkage between metabolism and motility. Intriguingly, a point mutation or increase in its cellular concentration induces irreversible liquid-to-solid transition of TmaR, similar to human disease-causing proteins, which affects cell morphology and division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Szoke
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Omer Goldberger
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Nitsan Albocher-Kedem
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Meshi Barsheshet
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Nili Dezorella
- Electron Microscopy Unit, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Anat Nussbaum-Shochat
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Reuven Wiener
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Maya Schuldiner
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Orna Amster-Choder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
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48
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Dai Y, Zhou Z, Kim K, Rivera N, Mohammed J, Hsu-Kim H, Chilkoti A, You L. Global control of cellular physiology by biomolecular condensates through modulation of electrochemical equilibria. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.19.563018. [PMID: 37904914 PMCID: PMC10614965 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.563018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Control of the electrochemical environment in living cells is typically attributed to ion channels. Here we show that the formation of biomolecular condensates can modulate the electrochemical environment in cells, which affects processes globally within the cell and interactions of the cell with its environment. Condensate formation results in the depletion or enrichment of certain ions, generating intracellular ion gradients. These gradients directly affect the electrochemical properties of a cell, including the cytoplasmic pH and hyperpolarization of the membrane potential. The modulation of the electrochemical equilibria between the intra- and extra-cellular environments by biomolecular condensates governs charge-dependent uptake of small molecules by cells, and thereby directly influences bacterial survival under antibiotic stress. The shift of the intracellular electrochemical equilibria by condensate formation also drives a global change of the gene expression profile. The control of the cytoplasmic environment by condensates is correlated with their volume fraction, which can be highly variable between cells due to the stochastic nature of gene expression at the single cell level. Thus, condensate formation can amplify cell-cell variability of the environmental effects induced by the shift of cellular electrochemical equilibria. Our work reveals new biochemical functions of condensates, which extend beyond the biomolecules driving and participating in condensate formation, and uncovers a new role of biomolecular condensates in cellular regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130
| | - Zhengqing Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
| | - Kyeri Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
| | - Nelson Rivera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
| | - Javid Mohammed
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710
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49
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Hatzianestis IH, Mountourakis F, Stavridou S, Moschou PN. Plant condensates: no longer membrane-less? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:1101-1112. [PMID: 37183142 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cellular condensation is a reinvigorated area of study in biology, with scientific discussions focusing mainly on the forces that drive condensate formation, properties, and functions. Usually, condensates are called 'membrane-less' to highlight the absence of a surrounding membrane and the lack of associated contacts. In this opinion article we take a different direction, focusing on condensates that may be interfacing with membranes and their possible functions. We also highlight changes in condensate material properties brought about by condensate-membrane interactions, proposing how condensates-membrane interfaces could potentially affect interorganellar communication, development, and growth, but also adaptation in an evolutionary context. We would thus like to stimulate research in this area, which is much less understood in plants compared with the animal field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis H Hatzianestis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Fanourios Mountourakis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Panagiotis N Moschou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece; Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden.
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50
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Mukherjee S, Schäfer LV. Thermodynamic forces from protein and water govern condensate formation of an intrinsically disordered protein domain. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5892. [PMID: 37735186 PMCID: PMC10514047 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41586-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) can drive a multitude of cellular processes by compartmentalizing biological cells via the formation of dense liquid biomolecular condensates, which can function as membraneless organelles. Despite its importance, the molecular-level understanding of the underlying thermodynamics of this process remains incomplete. In this study, we use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the low complexity domain (LCD) of human fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein to investigate the contributions of water and protein molecules to the free energy changes that govern LLPS. Both protein and water components are found to have comparably sizeable thermodynamic contributions to the formation of FUS condensates. Moreover, we quantify the counteracting effects of water molecules that are released into the bulk upon condensate formation and the waters retained within the protein droplets. Among the various factors considered, solvation entropy and protein interaction enthalpy are identified as the most important contributions, while solvation enthalpy and protein entropy changes are smaller. These results provide detailed molecular insights on the intricate thermodynamic interplay between protein- and solvation-related forces underlying the formation of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumyak Mukherjee
- Center for Theoretical Chemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, D-44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Lars V Schäfer
- Center for Theoretical Chemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, D-44780, Bochum, Germany.
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