A single N-terminal phosphomimic disrupts TDP-43 polymerization, phase separation, and RNA splicing.

TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein active in splicing that concentrates into membraneless ribonucleoprotein granules and forms aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease. Although best known for its predominantly disordered C-terminal domain which mediates ALS inclusions, TDP-43 has a globular N-terminal domain (NTD). Here, we show that TDP-43 NTD assembles into head-to-tail linear chains and that phosphomimetic substitution at S48 disrupts TDP-43 polymeric assembly, discourages liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in vitro, fluidizes liquid-liquid phase separated nuclear TDP-43 reporter constructs in cells, and disrupts RNA splicing activity. Finally, we present the solution NMR structure of a head-to-tail NTD dimer comprised of two engineered variants that allow saturation of the native polymerization interface while disrupting higher-order polymerization. These data provide structural detail for the established mechanistic role of the well-folded TDP-43 NTD in splicing and link this function to LLPS. In addition, the fusion-tag solubilized, recombinant form of TDP-43 full-length protein developed here will enable future phase separation and in vitro biochemical assays on TDP-43 function and interactions that have been hampered in the past by TDP-43 aggregation.

Phosphorylation of the FUS low-complexity domain disrupts phase separation, aggregation, and toxicity.

Neuronal inclusions of aggregated RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) are hallmarks of ALS and frontotemporal dementia subtypes. Intriguingly, FUS's nearly uncharged, aggregation-prone, yeast prion-like, low sequence-complexity domain (LC) is known to be targeted for phosphorylation. Here we map in vitro and in-cell phosphorylation sites across FUS LC We show that both phosphorylation and phosphomimetic variants reduce its aggregation-prone/prion-like character, disrupting FUS phase separation in the presence of RNA or salt and reducing FUS propensity to aggregate. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates the intrinsically disordered structure of FUS LC is preserved after phosphorylation; however, transient domain collapse and self-interaction are reduced by phosphomimetics. Moreover, we show that phosphomimetic FUS reduces aggregation in human and yeast cell models, and can ameliorate FUS-associated cytotoxicity. Hence, post-translational modification may be a mechanism by which cells control physiological assembly and prevent pathological protein aggregation, suggesting a potential treatment pathway amenable to pharmacologic modulation.

The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on Prion-Like Aggregation and Liquid-Phase Separation of FUS.

Subcellular mislocalization and aggregation of the human FUS protein occurs in neurons of patients with subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. FUS is one of several RNA-binding proteins that can functionally self-associate into distinct liquid-phase droplet structures. It is postulated that aberrant interactions within the dense phase-separated state can potentiate FUS's transition into solid prion-like aggregates that cause disease. FUS is post-translationally modified at numerous positions, which affect both its localization and aggregation propensity. These modifications may influence FUS-linked pathology and serve as therapeutic targets.

Yeast Models of Prion-Like Proteins That Cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Reveal Pathogenic Mechanisms.

Many proteins involved in the pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are remarkably similar to proteins that form prions in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These ALS-associated proteins are not orthologs of yeast prion proteins, but are similar in having long, intrinsically disordered domains that are rich in hydrophilic amino acids. These so-called prion-like domains are particularly aggregation-prone and are hypothesized to participate in the mislocalization and misfolding processes that occur in the motor neurons of ALS patients. Methods developed for characterizing yeast prions have been adapted to studying ALS-linked proteins containing prion-like domains. These yeast models have yielded major discoveries, including identification of new ALS genetic risk factors, new ALS-causing gene mutations and insights into how disease mutations enhance protein aggregation.

The prionlike domain of FUS is multiphosphorylated following DNA damage without altering nuclear localization.

FUS (fused in sarcoma) is an abundant, predominantly nuclear protein involved in RNA processing. Under various conditions, FUS functionally associates with RNA and other macromolecules to form distinct, reversible phase-separated liquid structures. Persistence of the phase-separated state and increased cytoplasmic localization are both hypothesized to predispose FUS to irreversible aggregation, which is a pathological hallmark of subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. We previously showed that phosphorylation of FUS's prionlike domain suppressed phase separation and toxic aggregation, proportionally to the number of added phosphates. However, phosphorylation of FUS's prionlike domain was previously reported to promote its cytoplasmic localization, potentially favoring pathological behavior. Here we used mass spectrometry and human cell models to further identify phosphorylation sites within FUS's prionlike domain, specifically following DNA-damaging stress. In total, 28 putative sites have been identified, about half of which are DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) consensus sites. Custom antibodies were developed to confirm the phosphorylation of two of these sites (Ser-26 and Ser-30). Both sites were usually phosphorylated in a subpopulation of cellular FUS following a variety of DNA-damaging stresses but not necessarily equally or simultaneously. Importantly, we found DNA-PK-dependent multiphosphorylation of FUS's prionlike domain does not cause cytoplasmic localization.