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Many eukaryotic proteins, including key transcription regulators, contain intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), which serve as flexible interaction platforms. The molecular understanding of IDR-based interactions is now emerging, providing new insights into how IDRs promote protein compartmentalization and/or phase separation and how these processes regulate gene expression.
Rebecca Taylor discusses the elegance and importance of early discoveries from the Walter laboratory on the unfolded protein response, and why they have become landmark studies.
The tumour suppressor PTEN regulates various cellular processes, including maintenance of genomic stability, cell survival, migration, proliferation and metabolism. Recent studies into the regulation of PTEN levels and activity provide new insights into its anti-oncogenic functions and offer novel opportunities for cancer treatment.
Metabolism feeds into gene regulation, allowing adaptation of gene expression to satisfy cellular needs, including in pathological scenarios such as cancer. Metabolism modulates gene expression through metabolites, which serve as cofactors for DNA and histone modifiers, and through metabolic enzymes, which locally regulate chromatin and transcription in the nucleus.
Recent studies in model organisms uncovered prominent links between autophagy and ageing, suggesting that by removing superfluous or damaged cellular content through lysosomal degradation, autophagy supports tissue and organismal fitness and promotes longevity. Thus, autophagy induction could be considered a strategy to extend lifespan.
Decline in stem cell function causes loss of tissue homeostasis and increased incidence of age-related diseases. During ageing, adult stem cells accumulate damage and the niche in which they reside malfunctions. These defects are associated with changes in the epigenome that contribute to organ dysfunction and disease.
