Phosphorylation of the NBDY microprotein promotes dissociation of biomolecular condensates

ABSTRACT: Proteogenomic identification of translated small open reading frames in human has revealed thousands of microproteins, or polypeptides of fewer than 100 amino acids, that were previously invisible to geneticists. Hundreds of microproteins have been shown to be essential for cell growth and proliferation, and many regulate macromolecular complexes, but the vast majority remain functionally uncharacterized, lack secondary structure, and exhibit limited evolutionary conservation. One such intrinsically disordered microprotein is NBDY, a 68-amino acid component of membraneless organelles known as P-bodies. In this work, we show that NBDY can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, a biophysical process thought to underlie the formation of membraneless organelles, in the presence of RNA in vitro. Phosphorylation of NBDY drives liquid phase remixing in vitro and macroscopic P-body dissociation in cells undergoing growth factor signaling and cell division. These results suggest that NBDY phosphorylation is a key regulator of P-body dynamics in cells, and more broadly that intrinsically disordered microproteins may contribute to liquid-liquid phase separation and remixing behavior in cells.

INSTRUMENT(S):

ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens (human)

TISSUE(S): Cell Culture

SUBMITTER: ZHENKUN NA  

LAB HEAD: Sarah Slavoff

PROVIDER: PXD026098 | Pride | 2022-10-14

REPOSITORIES: Pride