Polysome collapse and RNA condensation fluidize the cytoplasm.
Mol Cell
; 84(14): 2698-2716.e9, 2024 Jul 25.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39059370
ABSTRACT
The cell interior is packed with macromolecules of mesoscale size, and this crowded milieu significantly influences cellular physiology. Cellular stress responses almost universally lead to inhibition of translation, resulting in polysome collapse and release of mRNA. The released mRNA molecules condense with RNA-binding proteins to form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates known as processing bodies and stress granules. Here, we show that polysome collapse and condensation of RNA transiently fluidize the cytoplasm, and coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations support this as a minimal mechanism for the observed biophysical changes. Increased mesoscale diffusivity correlates with the efficient formation of quality control bodies (Q-bodies), membraneless organelles that compartmentalize misfolded peptides during stress. Synthetic, light-induced RNA condensation also fluidizes the cytoplasm. Together, our study reveals a functional role for stress-induced translation inhibition and formation of RNP condensates in modulating the physical properties of the cytoplasm to enable efficient response of cells to stress conditions.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Polyribosomes
/
Ribonucleoproteins
/
Cytoplasm
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Mol Cell
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: