Higher-order assemblies in immune signaling: supramolecular complexes and phase separation

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cell Biology
• Structural Biology

Background:

• Signaling pathways are crucial for innate and adaptive immunity, governing pathogen recognition and immune cell function.
• Higher-order assemblies are emerging as key regulators of immune signaling and cellular communication.
• Two main types exist: ordered, solid-like supramolecular complexes and liquid-like phase-separated condensates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key examples of higher-order assemblies in major immune pathways.
• To emphasize the molecular structures of these assemblies.
• To discuss how structural organization enables signaling regulation mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of higher-order assemblies in immune signaling.
• Analysis of molecular structures of representative examples.
• Discussion of structure-function relationships in immune regulation.

Main Results:

• Identified and described examples of both solid-like and liquid-like higher-order assemblies in immune pathways.
• Highlighted the distinct molecular interactions (stable vs. dynamic) defining each assembly type.
• Illustrated how specific structural features facilitate precise signaling control.

Conclusions:

• Higher-order assemblies, through their diverse structural properties, are fundamental to regulating complex immune signaling.
• Understanding the molecular architecture of these assemblies provides insights into immune cell communication.
• This structural perspective offers a framework for deciphering immune response mechanisms.