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Reentrant Phase Transition Drives Dynamic Substructure Formation in Ribonucleoprotein Droplets
Priya R Banerjee1, Anthony N Milin1, Mahdi Muhammad Moosa1,2
1Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 31, 2017
Summary
RNA concentration controls intracellular ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granule assembly and disassembly. This RNA-mediated reentrant phase transition allows for dynamic droplet substructures with tunable lifetimes within cells.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
Background:
- Intracellular ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are membrane-less organelles regulating gene expression.
- Their assembly is driven by liquid-liquid phase separation, but dynamics and organization are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of RNA in modulating RNP granule phase behavior.
- To understand the mechanisms controlling RNP granule assembly, disassembly, and internal dynamics.
Main Methods:
- In vitro studies of RNP granule phase transitions.
- Modulation of RNA concentration to observe effects on droplet assembly and disassembly.
Main Results:
- Increasing RNA concentration initially promotes RNP granule assembly via complex coacervation.
- Further increases in RNA concentration induce charge inversion, leading to RNP granule disassembly.
- This RNA-mediated reentrant phase transition creates dynamic droplet substructures (vacuoles) with controllable lifetimes.
Conclusions:
- RNA concentration is a critical factor in controlling RNP granule phase transitions.
- Cellular processes like transcription can spatiotemporally regulate RNP granule organization and dynamics through RNA influx.
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