SATB1 undergoes isoform-specific phase transitions in T cells.
Abstract:
Intracellular space is demarcated into functional membraneless organelles and nuclear bodies via the process of phase separation. Phase transitions are involved in many functions linked to such bodies as well as in gene expression regulation and other cellular processes. In this work we describe how the genome organizer SATB1 utilizes its prion-like domains to undergo phase transitions. We have identified two SATB1 isoforms with distinct biophysical behavior and showed how phosphorylation and interaction with nuclear RNA, impact their phase transitions. Moreover, we show that SATB1 is associated with transcription and splicing, both of which evinced deregulation in Satb1 knockout mice. Thus, the tight regulation of different SATB1 isoforms levels and their post-translational modifications are imperative for SATB1’s physiological roles in T cell development while their deregulation may be linked to disorders such as cancer.
