相分离作为植物发育、环境适应和非生物胁迫响应中的关键机制。
Phase separation as a key mechanism in plant development, environmental adaptation, and abiotic stress response.
作者信息
Pougy Karina C, Brito Bruna A, Melo Giovanna S, Pinheiro Anderson S
机构信息
Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
出版信息
J Biol Chem. 2025 Apr 24;301(6):108548. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108548.
In memoriam of Professor Anderson de Sá Pinheiro, principal investigator at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LabMol) at the Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Prof. Pinheiro passed away prematurely at the age of 44, on March 1, 2025. Prof. Pinheiro was a distinguished figure in the fields of biochemistry and structural biology in Brazil. He earned his bachelor's degree in Pharmacy in 2000, his master's degree in 2003, and his Ph.D. in 2007, all in Biological Chemistry at UFRJ. He continued his academic journey with postdoctoral research at Brown University in the United States (2007-2011). Upon returning to Brazil, he became an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at UFRJ (2011-2025). He led the Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry (LaBMol), focusing on the study of RNA-binding proteins related to cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as plant responses to abiotic stress. His research followed two main fronts-analyzing protein structures and dynamics using solution NMR spectroscopy and investigating the relationship between structural features and liquid-liquid phase separation, along with its role in protein function. Beyond research, Prof. Anderson was deeply committed to education, mentoring numerous students and contributing to various academic committees. During his brief but impactful career, he made significant contributions to the structural biology community, serving as President of the Brazilian Association of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Users (AUREMN) and as Scientific Director of the Brazilian Biophysical Society (SBBf). This review marks Professor Pinheiro's 50th published article. His untimely passing is a profound loss to the scientific community, but his legacy endures through his scientific contributions and the many lives he has touched. Liquid-liquid phase separation is a fundamental biophysical process in which biopolymers, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and their complexes, spontaneously demix into distinct coexisting phases. This phenomenon drives the formation of membraneless organelles-cellular subcompartments without a lipid bilayer that perform specialized functions. In plants, phase-separated biomolecular condensates play pivotal roles in regulating gene expression, from genome organization to transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. In addition, phase separation governs plant-specific traits, such as flowering and photosynthesis. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved to leverage phase separation for rapid sensing and response to environmental fluctuations and stress conditions. Recent studies highlight the critical role of phase separation in plant adaptation, particularly in response to abiotic stress. This review compiles the latest research on biomolecular condensates in plant biology, providing examples of their diverse functions in development, environmental adaptation, and stress responses. We propose that phase separation represents a conserved and dynamic mechanism enabling plants to adapt efficiently to ever-changing environmental conditions. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying phase separation in plant stress responses opens new avenues for biotechnological strategies aimed at engineering stress-resistant crops. These advancements have significant implications for agriculture, particularly in addressing crop productivity in the face of climate change.
沉痛悼念里约热内卢联邦大学(UFRJ)化学研究所分子生物学实验室(LabMol)的首席研究员安德森·德·萨·皮涅罗教授。皮涅罗教授于2025年3月1日英年早逝,年仅44岁。皮涅罗教授是巴西生物化学和结构生物学领域的杰出人物。他于2000年获得药学学士学位,2003年获得硕士学位,2007年获得博士学位,均毕业于UFRJ的生物化学专业。他在美国布朗大学继续博士后研究(2007 - 2011年)。回到巴西后,他成为UFRJ生物化学系的副教授(2011 - 2025年)。他领导分子生物化学实验室(LaBMol),专注于研究与癌症和神经退行性疾病相关的RNA结合蛋白,以及植物对非生物胁迫的反应。他的研究主要沿着两条主线进行——使用溶液核磁共振光谱分析蛋白质结构和动力学,以及研究结构特征与液 - 液相分离之间的关系及其在蛋白质功能中的作用。除了研究工作,安德森教授还全身心投入教育事业,指导了众多学生,并为多个学术委员会做出贡献。在他短暂而富有影响力的职业生涯中,他为结构生物学界做出了重大贡献,担任巴西核磁共振用户协会(AUREMN)主席和巴西生物物理学会(SBBf)科学主任。这篇综述标志着皮涅罗教授发表的第50篇文章。他的英年早逝是科学界的巨大损失,但他的遗产通过他的科学贡献以及他所触动的众多生命得以延续。液 - 液相分离是一种基本的生物物理过程,其中生物聚合物,如蛋白质、核酸及其复合物,会自发地分离成不同的共存相。这种现象驱动了无膜细胞器的形成——即没有脂质双层但执行特定功能的细胞亚区室。在植物中,相分离的生物分子凝聚物在调节基因表达方面发挥着关键作用,从基因组组织到转录和转录后过程。此外,相分离还控制着植物特有的性状,如开花和光合作用。作为固着生物,植物已经进化到利用相分离来快速感知和响应环境波动及胁迫条件上。最近的研究突出了相分离在植物适应中的关键作用,特别是在对非生物胁迫的响应方面。这篇综述汇编了植物生物学中关于生物分子凝聚物的最新研究,提供了它们在发育、环境适应和胁迫响应中多种功能的实例。我们认为相分离代表了一种保守且动态的机制,使植物能够有效地适应不断变化的环境条件。破解植物胁迫响应中相分离的分子机制为旨在培育抗逆作物的生物技术策略开辟了新途径。这些进展对农业具有重大意义,特别是在应对气候变化下的作物生产力问题方面。