Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2021 Mar;22(3):183-195. doi: 10.1038/s41580-020-0264-6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.
Biomolecular condensation partitions cellular contents and has important roles in stress responses, maintaining homeostasis, development and disease. Many nuclear and cytoplasmic condensates are rich in RNA and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), which undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Whereas the role of RBPs in condensates has been well studied, less attention has been paid to the contribution of RNA to LLPS. In this Review, we discuss the role of RNA in biomolecular condensation and highlight considerations for designing condensate reconstitution experiments. We focus on RNA properties such as composition, length, structure, modifications and expression level. These properties can modulate the biophysical features of native condensates, including their size, shape, viscosity, liquidity, surface tension and composition. We also discuss the role of RNA-protein condensates in development, disease and homeostasis, emphasizing how their properties and function can be determined by RNA. Finally, we discuss the multifaceted cellular functions of biomolecular condensates, including cell compartmentalization through RNA transport and localization, supporting catalytic processes, storage and inheritance of specific molecules, and buffering noise and responding to stress.
生物分子凝聚将细胞内容物分隔开，在应激反应、维持内稳态、发育和疾病中具有重要作用。许多核和细胞质凝聚物富含 RNA 和 RNA 结合蛋白 (RBP)，它们经历液-液相分离 (LLPS)。虽然 RBP 在凝聚物中的作用已经得到了很好的研究，但对 RNA 对 LLPS 的贡献关注较少。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 RNA 在生物分子凝聚中的作用，并强调了设计凝聚重构成实验时需要考虑的因素。我们专注于 RNA 的特性，如组成、长度、结构、修饰和表达水平。这些特性可以调节天然凝聚物的生物物理特性，包括其大小、形状、粘度、流动性、表面张力和组成。我们还讨论了 RNA-蛋白质凝聚物在发育、疾病和内稳态中的作用，强调了它们的特性和功能如何可以由 RNA 决定。最后，我们讨论了生物分子凝聚物的多方面细胞功能，包括通过 RNA 运输和定位进行细胞区室化、支持催化过程、储存和遗传特定分子以及缓冲噪声和应对应激。
