Analysis of Phase-Separated Biomolecular Condensates in Cancer

Wei Li; Hao Jiang

doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3163-8_23

Analysis of Phase-Separated Biomolecular Condensates in Cancer

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2660:345-356. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3163-8_23.

Authors

Wei Li^{1

2}, Hao Jiang³

Affiliations

¹ Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
³ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA. hj8d@virginia.edu.

Abstract

Phase-separated biomolecular condensates play important roles in virtually all cellular processes, and their dysregulation is associated with many pathological processes including cancer. Here we concisely review some basic methodologies and strategies to analyze the phase-separated biomolecular condensates in cancer, including physical characterization of phase separation for the protein of interest, functional demonstration of this property in cancer regulation, as well as mechanistic studies on how phase separation regulates the protein's function in cancer.

Keywords: Biomolecular condensates; Cancer; Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs); Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS); Protein of interest (POI).

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Biomolecular Condensates
Humans
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins* / metabolism
Neoplasms*

Substances

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding