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Related Concept Videos

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Tonicity describes the amount of solute in a solution. The measure of the tonicity of a solution, or the total amount of solutes dissolved in a specific amount of solution, is called its osmolarity. Three terms—hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic—are used to relate the osmolarity of a cell to the osmolarity of the extracellular fluid that contains the cells. In a hypotonic solution, such as tap water, the extracellular fluid has a lower concentration of solutes than the fluid inside...
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The tonicity of a solution determines if a cell gains or loses water in that solution. The tonicity depends on the permeability of the cell membrane for different solutes and the concentration of nonpenetrating solutes in the solution within and outside of the cell. If a semipermeable membrane hinders the passage of some solutes but allows water to follow its concentration gradient, water moves from the side with low osmolarity (i.e., less solute) to the side with higher osmolarity (i.e.,...
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Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
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Chemical Isolation, Quantification, and Separation of Skin Lipids from Reptiles
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Liquid-liquid phase separation promotes animal desiccation tolerance.

Clinton Belott1, Brett Janis1, Michael A Menze2

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|October 20, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins like AfrLEA6 enhance desiccation tolerance in brine shrimp embryos. This protein promotes cell integrity by increasing cytoplasmic viscosity and forms protective compartments via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS).

Keywords:
cryptobiosislate embryogenesis abundantliquid-liquid phase separationmembraneless organellewater stress

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Proteinaceous liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) forms membraneless organelles (MLOs) involved in cellular processes.
  • Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, particularly those with seed maturation protein domains (SMP), are linked to seed desiccation tolerance.
  • The brine shrimp *Artemia franciscana* uniquely expresses an LEA protein (AfrLEA6) in its anhydrobiotic embryos.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which AfrLEA6 enhances desiccation tolerance in *Artemia franciscana*.
  • To determine the role of LLPS and MLO formation in AfrLEA6-mediated anhydrobiosis.
  • To understand how AfrLEA6 functions at the cellular level to improve survival during dehydration.

Main Methods:

  • Ectopic expression of *Afr*LEA6 in insect cells.
  • Analysis of protein localization and MLO formation using microscopy.
  • Biophysical characterization of *Afr*LEA6 LLPS in vitro and in vivo.
  • Assessment of cytoplasmic viscosity changes in response to *Afr*LEA6.

Main Results:

  • Ectopic *Afr*LEA6 expression confers improved desiccation tolerance to insect cells.
  • AfrLEA6 undergoes LLPS, forming MLOs, with LLPS driven by the SMP domain.
  • Cytoplasmic viscosity is increased by aqueous *Afr*LEA6, and formed MLOs selectively incorporate proteins.
  • In vivo MLOs exhibit characteristics of stress granules, suggesting a protective role.

Conclusions:

  • AfrLEA6 promotes desiccation tolerance through two mechanisms: increasing cytoplasmic viscosity and forming protective condensates.
  • These condensates may sequester and protect desiccation-sensitive proteins.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for advancing biological sample preservation techniques.