Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
10:53
Isolation of Cognate RNA-protein Complexes from Cells Using Oligonucleotide-directed Elution
Published on: January 16, 2017
9.5K
Selective RNA sequestration in biomolecular condensates directs cell fate transitions
Patrizia Pessina1,2,3,4, Mika Nevo5,6,7, Junchao Shi8
1Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Nature Biotechnology
|October 29, 2025
Summary
Scientists discovered that RNA condensates, called P-bodies, control cell identity by sequestering specific untranslated RNAs. Manipulating these P-bodies can direct stem cell differentiation toward specific cell fates, offering new control over cell identity.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Controlling stem cell differentiation is crucial for biomedical research.
- RNA condensates, such as P-bodies, posttranscriptionally modulate gene expression and influence cell fate.
- Understanding the role of P-bodies in cell identity is an active area of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how RNA condensates, specifically P-bodies, influence cell fate decisions.
- To profile the transcriptomes of biomolecular condensates across diverse vertebrate developmental contexts.
- To explore the potential of manipulating P-bodies for controlling stem cell differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptome profiling of biomolecular condensates in various vertebrate species and developmental stages.
- Analysis of P-body RNA content in relation to active gene expression and preceding developmental stages.
- Experimental manipulation of P-body assembly, microRNA activity, AGO2, and polyadenylation site usage.
Main Results:
- Conserved, cell type-specific sequestration of untranslated RNAs encoding cell fate regulators within P-bodies was identified.
- P-body RNA content reflects translationally repressed transcripts from earlier developmental stages, not current gene expression.
- MicroRNAs and perturbations in AGO2 or polyadenylation significantly reshape P-body contents.
Conclusions:
- Cell fate decisions are linked to RNA condensates across vertebrates.
- Manipulation of P-body assembly or microRNA activity can direct pluripotent stem cells toward totipotency.
- Primed human embryonic cells can be directed toward the germ cell lineage by modulating P-body dynamics, offering a novel method for controlling cell identity.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
1.3K
The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the...
1.3K
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
18.3K
Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...
18.3K
01:29Translational Regulation
523
Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...
523
01:53RNA Stability
35.6K
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
35.6K
01:23RNA Interference
27.8K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
27.8K
01:45Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
3.2K
Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
3.2K