Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
EMBO Rep. 2021 May 5;22(5):e51656. doi: 10.15252/embr.202051656. Epub 2021 Apr 28.
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) facilitates the formation of membraneless compartments in a cell and allows the spatiotemporal organization of biochemical reactions by concentrating macromolecules locally. In plants, LLPS defines cellular reaction hotspots, and stimulus-responsive LLPS is tightly linked to a variety of cellular and biological functions triggered by exposure to various internal and external stimuli, such as stress responses, hormone signaling, and temperature sensing. Here, we provide an overview of the current understanding of physicochemical forces and molecular factors that drive LLPS in plant cells. We illustrate how the biochemical features of cellular condensates contribute to their biological functions. Additionally, we highlight major challenges for the comprehensive understanding of biological LLPS, especially in view of the dynamic and robust organization of biochemical reactions underlying plastic responses to environmental fluctuations in plants.
液-液相分离（LLPS）有助于在细胞中形成无膜隔室，并通过局部浓缩大分子来实现生化反应的时空组织。在植物中，LLPS 定义了细胞反应热点，刺激响应型 LLPS 与各种细胞和生物功能紧密相关，这些功能是由暴露于各种内部和外部刺激引起的，如应激反应、激素信号和温度感应。在这里，我们提供了一个关于驱动植物细胞中 LLPS 的物理化学力和分子因素的当前理解的概述。我们说明了细胞凝聚物的生化特征如何有助于其生物功能。此外，我们强调了全面理解生物 LLPS 的主要挑战，特别是考虑到植物对环境波动的可塑性反应背后的生化反应的动态和稳健组织。
