FUS and TDP-43 Phases in Health and Disease

Abstract

The distinct prion-like domains (PrLDs) of FUS and TDP-43, modulate phase transitions that result in condensates with a range of material states. These assemblies are implicated in both health and disease. In this review, we examine how sequence, structure, post-translational modifications, and RNA can affect the self-assembly of these RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). We discuss how our emerging understanding of FUS and TDP-43 liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and aggregation, could be leveraged to design new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE).

Keywords: aggregation; neurodegenerative diseases; phase separation; prion-like domains: RNA-binding proteins; stress granules.