Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
Plant Cell. 2023 Sep 1;35(9):3162-3172. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad177.
The formation of biomolecular condensates through phase separation is an important strategy to compartmentalize cellular functions. While it is now well established that condensates exist throughout eukaryotic cells, how condensates assemble and function on lipid membranes is only beginning to be understood. In this perspective, we highlight work from plant, animal, and yeast model systems showing that condensates assemble on many endomembrane surfaces to carry out diverse functions. In vesicle trafficking, condensation has reported roles in the formation of endocytic vesicles and autophagosomes and in the inactivation of secretory COPII vesicles. We briefly discuss how membranes and membrane lipids regulate the formation and function of membrane-associated condensates. This includes how membranes act as surfaces for condensate assembly, with lipids mediating the nucleation of condensates during endocytosis and other processes. Additionally, membrane-condensate interactions give rise to the biophysical property of "wetting", which has functional importance in shaping autophagosomal and vacuolar membranes. We also speculate on the existence of membrane-associated condensates during cell polarity in plants and discuss how condensation may help to establish functional plasma membrane domains. Lastly, we provide advice on relevant in vitro and in vivo approaches and techniques to study membrane-associated phase separation.
通过相分离形成生物分子凝聚物是分隔细胞功能的一种重要策略。虽然现在已经明确凝聚物存在于真核细胞的各个部位，但凝聚物如何在脂质膜上组装和发挥作用才刚刚开始被理解。在这个观点中，我们强调了来自植物、动物和酵母模型系统的工作，这些工作表明凝聚物在许多内质网膜表面组装，以执行多种功能。在囊泡运输中，凝聚物在形成内吞小泡和自噬体以及使分泌性 COPII 小泡失活方面发挥了作用。我们简要讨论了膜和膜脂质如何调节膜相关凝聚物的形成和功能。这包括膜如何作为凝聚物组装的表面，以及脂质在胞吞作用和其他过程中介导凝聚物的成核。此外，膜-凝聚物相互作用产生了“润湿”的物理特性，这在塑造自噬体和液泡膜方面具有重要的功能意义。我们还推测了植物细胞极性过程中膜相关凝聚物的存在，并讨论了凝聚物如何帮助建立功能性质膜域。最后，我们就研究膜相关相分离的相关体外和体内方法和技术提供了建议。
