Journal ArticleDOI
Germline P Granules Are Liquid Droplets That Localize by Controlled Dissolution/Condensation
Clifford P. Brangwynne,Christian R. Eckmann,David S. Courson,Agata Rybarska,Carsten Hoege,Jöbin Gharakhani,Jöbin Gharakhani,Frank Jülicher,Frank Jülicher,Anthony A. Hyman,Anthony A. Hyman +10 more
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TLDR
It is shown that P granules exhibit liquid-like behaviors, including fusion, dripping, and wetting, which is used to estimate their viscosity and surface tension, and reflects a classic phase transition, in which polarity proteins vary the condensation point across the cell.Abstract:
In sexually reproducing organisms, embryos specify germ cells, which ultimately generate sperm and eggs In Caenorhabditis elegans, the first germ cell is established when RNA and protein-rich P granules localize to the posterior of the one-cell embryo Localization of P granules and their physical nature remain poorly understood Here we show that P granules exhibit liquid-like behaviors, including fusion, dripping, and wetting, which we used to estimate their viscosity and surface tension As with other liquids, P granules rapidly dissolved and condensed Localization occurred by a biased increase in P granule condensation at the posterior This process reflects a classic phase transition, in which polarity proteins vary the condensation point across the cell Such phase transitions may represent a fundamental physicochemical mechanism for structuring the cytoplasmread more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Active coacervate droplets as a model for membraneless organelles and protocells.
Carsten Donau,Fabian Späth,Marilyne Sosson,Brigitte A. K. Kriebisch,Fabian Schnitter,Marta Tena-Solsona,Hyun-Seo Kang,Elia Salibi,Michael Sattler,Hannes Mutschler,Job Boekhoven +10 more
TL;DR: This work presents a model for membraneless organelles based on RNA-containing active coacervate droplets regulated by a fuel-driven reaction cycle and finds these droplets can transiently up-concentrate functional RNA which remains in its active folded state inside the droplets.
Journal ArticleDOI
Cell-Inspired All-Aqueous Microfluidics: From Intracellular Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation toward Advanced Biomaterials
TL;DR: An emerging all‐aqueous microfluidic technology derived from micrometer‐scaled manipulation of LLPS is presented and enables the state‐of‐art design of advanced biomaterials with exquisite structural proficiency and diversified biological functions.
Journal ArticleDOI
Single-molecule imaging reveals dynamic biphasic partition of RNA-binding proteins in stress granules.
Benedikt Niewidok,Maxim Igaev,Abel Pereira da Graca,Andre Strassner,Christine Lenzen,Christian Richter,Jacob Piehler,Rainer Kurre,Roland Brandt +8 more
TL;DR: A surprising disconnect is uncovered between SG partitioning and internal diffusion and interactions of RBPs, which provides direct support for liquid droplet behavior of SGs in living cells and reveal transient binding ofRBPs in nanocores.
Journal ArticleDOI
Cellular Strategies for Regulating Functional and Nonfunctional Protein Aggregation
Jörg Gsponer,M. Madan Babu +1 more
TL;DR: A strategy whereby cellular mechanisms specifically modulate the availability of aggregation-prone proteins to keep concentrations below the critical ones required for aggregation and shift the equilibrium between the monomeric and oligomeric/aggregate form, as explained by Le Chatelier’s principle is suggested.
Journal ArticleDOI
Chromatin topology, condensates and gene regulation: shifting paradigms or just a phase?
TL;DR: A debate on the role of chromatin topology and liquid-liquid phase separation in regulating gene expression at a workshop organized by The Company of Biologists titled ‘Chromatin-based regulation of development’ is summarized.
References
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TL;DR: These studies have shown how, for many RNA-binding proteins, multiple modules define the fundamental structural unit that is responsible for biological function.
Journal ArticleDOI
The cell as a material.
Karen E. Kasza,Amy C. Rowat,Jiayu Liu,Thomas E. Angelini,Clifford P. Brangwynne,Gijsje H. Koenderink,David A. Weitz +6 more
TL;DR: Reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks have been shown to mimic many aspects of the mechanical properties of cells, providing new insight into the origin of cellular behavior.
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Direct visual observation of thermal capillary waves.
TL;DR: It is shown that capillary waves induce the spontaneous breakup of thin liquid films and thus are of key importance in the process of droplet coalescence.
Journal ArticleDOI
Pathway to Totipotency: Lessons from Germ Cells
TL;DR: Common themes emerging from the study of germ cells in vertebrates and invertebrates are described, including transcriptional repression, chromatin remodeling, and an emphasis on posttranscriptional gene regulation that preserve the totipotent genome of germ cell through generations.
Journal ArticleDOI
PGL-1, a Predicted RNA-Binding Component of Germ Granules, Is Essential for Fertility in C. elegans
TL;DR: It is shown that a component of germ granules is essential for fertility in C. elegans and that its primary function is in germline proliferation.
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