Courchaine Edward M, Lu Alice, Neugebauer Karla M
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
EMBO J. 2016 Aug 1;35(15):1603-12. doi: 10.15252/embj.201593517. Epub 2016 Jun 29.
Cells contain numerous, molecularly distinct cellular compartments that are not enclosed by lipid bilayers. These compartments are implicated in a wide range of cellular activities, and they have been variously described as bodies, granules, or organelles. Recent evidence suggests that a liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) process may drive their formation, possibly justifying the unifying term "droplet organelle". A veritable deluge of recent publications points to the importance of low-complexity proteins and RNA in determining the physical properties of phase-separated structures. Many of the proteins linked to such structures are implicated in human diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We provide an overview of the organizational principles that characterize putative "droplet organelles" in healthy and diseased cells, connecting protein biochemistry with cell physiology.
细胞包含众多分子组成不同、未被脂质双层包围的细胞区室。这些区室参与广泛的细胞活动，它们被分别描述为小体、颗粒或细胞器。最近的证据表明，液-液相分离（LLPS）过程可能驱动它们的形成，这可能证明了统一术语“液滴细胞器”的合理性。最近大量的出版物表明，低复杂性蛋白质和RNA在决定相分离结构的物理性质方面具有重要性。许多与这些结构相关的蛋白质都与人类疾病有关，如肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）。我们概述了健康和患病细胞中假定的“液滴细胞器”的组织原则，将蛋白质生物化学与细胞生理学联系起来。
