RNA granules represent a broad variety of phase separated RNA and protein condensates. These granules can be constitutive or stress-induced, nuclear or cytoplasmic, static or dynamic. RNA granules have been functionally associated with myriad biological processes and disease states. RNA granules are known to be involved in neurodegenerative disease and cancer, in addition to broad-ranging cellular processes including apoptosis, translational control, and mRNA metabolism.
There have been tremendous advances in understanding the dynamic nature of RNA granules, their context-specific functions, and their relationships to human diseases. Despite these advances in understanding the “what” of RNA granules, an essential question remains: WHY granules? There are many mechanisms that could be used to coordinate a biological activity or execute a cellular program. What, then, is the advantage or critical function conferred by the biomolecular condensation of proteins and RNAs into a granule? Can we learn more about the function of phase-separated RNA-protein condensates through a holistic consideration of diverse RNA granules? The aim of this Research Topic is to bring together the latest information about the form and function of a diversity of RNA granules, and to share technological developments for controlling RNA granule formation that enable us to probe deeper into RNA granule function.
We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Previously uncharacterized types of RNA granules
• Novel contexts, functions, or disease links for known RNA granules (including both nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA granules, e.g. stress granules, processing bodies, L bodies, germ cell granules, neuronal granules, mitochondrial granules, A bodies, and other nuclear bodies)
• Evolutionary considerations of RNA granules
• Elucidating connections between diverse RNA granule types
• Tools for characterizing, measuring, or manipulating RNA granules – particularly those that could apply to multiple granule types
Contributions may include: brief research reports, original research, methods, mini review, review, perspective, or hypothesis and theory
RNA granules represent a broad variety of phase separated RNA and protein condensates. These granules can be constitutive or stress-induced, nuclear or cytoplasmic, static or dynamic. RNA granules have been functionally associated with myriad biological processes and disease states. RNA granules are known to be involved in neurodegenerative disease and cancer, in addition to broad-ranging cellular processes including apoptosis, translational control, and mRNA metabolism.
There have been tremendous advances in understanding the dynamic nature of RNA granules, their context-specific functions, and their relationships to human diseases. Despite these advances in understanding the “what” of RNA granules, an essential question remains: WHY granules? There are many mechanisms that could be used to coordinate a biological activity or execute a cellular program. What, then, is the advantage or critical function conferred by the biomolecular condensation of proteins and RNAs into a granule? Can we learn more about the function of phase-separated RNA-protein condensates through a holistic consideration of diverse RNA granules? The aim of this Research Topic is to bring together the latest information about the form and function of a diversity of RNA granules, and to share technological developments for controlling RNA granule formation that enable us to probe deeper into RNA granule function.
We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Previously uncharacterized types of RNA granules
• Novel contexts, functions, or disease links for known RNA granules (including both nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA granules, e.g. stress granules, processing bodies, L bodies, germ cell granules, neuronal granules, mitochondrial granules, A bodies, and other nuclear bodies)
• Evolutionary considerations of RNA granules
• Elucidating connections between diverse RNA granule types
• Tools for characterizing, measuring, or manipulating RNA granules – particularly those that could apply to multiple granule types
Contributions may include: brief research reports, original research, methods, mini review, review, perspective, or hypothesis and theory
