scholarly journals Spatiotemporal solidification of α-synuclein inside the liquid droplets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumik Ray ◽  
Debdeep Chatterjee ◽  
Semanti Mukherjee ◽  
Komal Patel ◽  
Jaladhar K Mahato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Protein Aggregation ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
Physical Mechanism ◽  
Liquid Droplet ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Single Droplet ◽  
Liquid To Solid Transition ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and subsequent liquid-to-solid transition is implicated in membraneless organelles formation as well as disease associated protein aggregation. However, how liquid-to-solid transition is initiated inside a liquid droplet remains unclear. Here, using studies at single droplet resolution, we show that liquid-to-solid transition of α-synuclein (α-Syn) liquid droplets is associated with significant changes in the local microenvironment as well as secondary structure of the protein, which is prominently observed at the center of the liquid droplets. With the ageing of liquid droplets, the structured core at the center gradually expands and propagates over entire droplets. Further, during droplet fusion, smaller, homogeneous droplets progressively dissolve and supply proteins to the larger, heterogeneous droplets containing solid-like core at their center. The present study will significantly help to under-stand the physical mechanism of LLPS and liquid-to-solid transition in biological compartmentalization as well as in protein aggregation associated with human neurodegenerative disorders.

scholarly journals Observation of liquid-liquid phase separation of ataxin-3 and quantitative evaluation of its concentration in a single droplet using Raman microscopy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Murakami ◽  
Shinji Kajimoto ◽  
Daiki Shibata ◽  
Kunisato Kuroi ◽  
Fumihiko Fujii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Protein Aggregation ◽  
Quantitative Evaluation ◽  
Raman Microscopy ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Single Droplet ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays an important role in a variety of biological processes and is also associated with protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. Quantification of LLPS is necessary to...

scholarly journals Liquid-liquid phase separation and liquid-to-solid transition mediate α-synuclein amyloid fibril containing hydrogel formation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumik Ray ◽  
Nitu Singh ◽  
Satyaprakash Pandey ◽  
Rakesh Kumar ◽  
Laxmikant Gadhe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Liquid Droplet ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Amyloid Formation ◽  
Liquid To Solid Transition ◽  
Phase Separation Behavior ◽  
Separation Behavior ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

SUMMARYα-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation and amyloid formation is directly linked with Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis. However, the early events involved in this process remain unclear. Here, using in vitro reconstitution and cellular model, we show that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of α-Syn precedes its aggregation. In particular, in vitro generated α-Syn liquid-like droplets eventually undergo a liquid-to-solid transition and form amyloid-hydrogel containing oligomers and fibrillar species. Factors known to aggravate α-Syn aggregation such as low pH, phosphomimic substitution, and familial PD mutation also promote α-Syn LLPS and its subsequent maturation. We further demonstrate α-Syn liquid droplet formation in cells, under oxidative stress. These cellular α-Syn droplets eventually transform into perinuclear aggresomes, the process regulated by microtubules. The present work provides detailed insights into the phase separation behavior of natively unstructured α-Syn and its conversion to a disease-associated aggregated state, which is highly relevant in PD pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Hyperactivation of L-lactate oxidase by liquid-liquid phase separation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoto Ura ◽  
Ako Kagawa ◽  
Hiromasa Yagi ◽  
Naoya Tochio ◽  
Takanori Kigawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Liquid Droplet ◽  
Living Cells ◽  
Enzyme Activation ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Enzymatic Reactions ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

ABSTRACTLiquid droplets formed by liquid-liquid phase separation are attracting attention as functional states of proteins in living cells. Liquid droplets are thought to activate enzymatic reactions by assembling the required molecules. Thus, liquid droplets usually increase the affinity of an enzyme to its substrates, leading to decreased KM values. In this study, we demonstrate a new mechanism of enzyme activation in the droplets using Llactate oxidase (LOX). In the presence of poly-L-lysine (PLL), LOX formed droplets with diameters of hundreds of nanometers to tens of micrometers, stabilized by electro-static interaction. The enzyme activity of LOX in the droplets was significantly enhanced by a fourfold decrease in KM and a tenfold increase in kcat. To our knowledge, this represents the first report for increasing kcat by the formation of the liquid droplet. Interestingly, the conformation of LOX changed in the liquid droplet, probably leading to increased kcat value. Understanding enzyme activation in the droplets provides essential information about enzyme function in living cells in addition to biotechnology applications.

scholarly journals Perturbation of liquid droplets of P-granule protein LAF-1 by the antimicrobial peptide LL-III

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (78) ◽  
pp. 11577-11580
Author(s):  
Rosario Oliva ◽  
Sanjib K. Mukherjee ◽  
Zamira Fetahaj ◽  
Simone Möbitz ◽  
Roland Winter
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Cellular Organization ◽  
P Protein ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Protein/RNA droplet formation by liquid–liquid phase separation has emerged as a key mechanism for cellular organization. We show that binding of antimicrobial peptides such as LL-III can lead to loss of droplet function.

scholarly journals Dynamic Formation of Liquid Droplets Triggered by Sequential Enzymatic Reactions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoto Ura ◽  
Shunsuke Tomita ◽  
Kentaro Shiraki
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Enzyme Reaction ◽  
Model System ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Enzymatic Reactions ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Dynamic Formation ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

<p>A model system was developed that dynamically generates two different liquid droplets via liquid–liquid phase separation coupled with a sequential glycolytic reaction. The sequential two-enzyme reaction triggers the formation/dissolution of the liquid droplets. The droplets, in turn, compartmentalize each enzymatic step and generate feedback to accelerate the overall reaction.</p>

MloDisDB: a manually curated database of the relations between membraneless organelles and diseases

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Hou ◽  
Haotai Xie ◽  
Yang Fu ◽  
Yao Ma ◽  
Tingting Li
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Nuclear Speckles ◽  
Spatial Regulation ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Functional Factor ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract Cells are compartmentalized by numerous membrane-bounded organelles and membraneless organelles (MLOs) to ensure temporal and spatial regulation of various biological processes. A number of MLOs, such as nucleoli, nuclear speckles and stress granules, exist as liquid droplets within the cells and arise from the condensation of proteins and RNAs via liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS). By concentrating certain proteins and RNAs, MLOs accelerate biochemical reactions and protect cells during stress, and dysfunction of MLOs is associated with various pathological processes. With the development in this field, more and more relations between the MLOs and diseases have been described; however, these results have not been made available in a centralized resource. Herein, we build MloDisDB, a database which aims to gather the relations between MLOs and diseases from dispersed literature. In addition, the relations between LLPS and diseases were included as well. Currently, MloDisDB contains 771 curated entries from 607 publications; each entry in MloDisDB contains detailed information about the MLO, the disease and the functional factor in the relation. Furthermore, an efficient and user-friendly interface for users to search, browse and download all entries was provided. MloDisDB is the first comprehensive database of the relations between MLOs and diseases so far, and the database is freely accessible at http://mlodis.phasep.pro/.

scholarly journals Liquid–liquid phase separation in autophagy

2020 ◽  
Vol 219 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuo N. Noda ◽  
Zheng Wang ◽  
Hong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Protein Aggregation ◽  
Therapeutic Targets ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Autophagosome Formation ◽  
Solid States ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) compartmentalizes and concentrates biomacromolecules into distinct condensates. Liquid-like condensates can transition into gel and solid states, which are essential for fulfilling their different functions. LLPS plays important roles in multiple steps of autophagy, mediating the assembly of autophagosome formation sites, acting as an unconventional modulator of TORC1-mediated autophagy regulation, and triaging protein cargos for degradation. Gel-like, but not solid, protein condensates can trigger formation of surrounding autophagosomal membranes. Stress and pathological conditions cause aberrant phase separation and transition of condensates, which can evade surveillance by the autophagy machinery. Understanding the mechanisms underlying phase separation and transition will provide potential therapeutic targets for protein aggregation diseases.

Dynamic behavior of liquid droplets with enzyme compartmentalization triggered by sequential glycolytic enzyme reactions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoto Ura ◽  
Shunsuke Tomita ◽  
Kentaro Shiraki
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Dynamic Behavior ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Glycolytic Enzyme ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Enzyme Reactions ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Dynamic droplet formation via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is believed to be involved in the regulation of various biological processes. Here, a model LLPS system coupled with a sequential glycolytic...

scholarly journals Properties of repression condensates in living Ciona embryos

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Treen ◽  
Shunsuke F. Shimobayashi ◽  
Jorine Eeftens ◽  
Clifford P. Brangwynne ◽  
Michael Levine
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Transcriptional Activators ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Transcriptional Repressors ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Repressor Proteins ◽  
Liquid Behavior ◽  
Dna Template ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

AbstractRecent studies suggest that transcriptional activators and components of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) form higher order associations—clusters or condensates—at active loci. Considerably less is known about the distribution of repressor proteins responsible for gene silencing. Here, we develop an expression assay in living Ciona embryos that captures the liquid behavior of individual nucleoli undergoing dynamic fusion events. The assay is used to visualize puncta of Hes repressors, along with the Groucho/TLE corepressor. We observe that Hes.a/Gro puncta have the properties of viscous liquid droplets that undergo limited fusion events due to association with DNA. Hes.a mutants that are unable to bind DNA display hallmarks of liquid–liquid phase separation, including dynamic fusions of individual condensates to produce large droplets. We propose that the DNA template serves as a scaffold for the formation of Hes condensates, but limits the spread of transcriptional repressors to unwanted regions of the genome.

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