Phase Separation Organizes the Site of Autophagosome Formation

Phase separation organizes the site of autophagosome formation

Many biomolecules undergo liquid–liquid phase separation to form liquid-like condensates that mediate diverse cellular functions1,2. Autophagy is able to degrade such condensates using autophagosomes—double-membrane structures that are synthesized de novo at the pre-autophagosomal structure (PAS) in yeast3–5. Whereas Atg proteins that associate with the PAS have been characterized, the physicochemical and functional properties of the PAS remain …

Focal adhesion-derived liquid-liquid phase separations regulate mRNA translation

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged as a major organizing principle in cells. Recent work showed that multiple components of integrin-mediated focal adhesions, including p130Cas can form LLPS, which govern adhesion dynamics and related cell behaviors. In this study, we found that the focal adhesion protein p130Cas drives the formation of structures with the characteristics of LLPS that bud from focal adhesions into the cytoplasm. C…