Biomolecular condensates: A new lens on cancer biology.

Abstract

Cells are compartmentalized into different organelles to ensure precise spatial temporal control and efficient operation of cellular processes. Membraneless organelles, also known as biomolecular condensates, are emerging as previously underappreciated ways of organizing cellular functions. Condensates allow local concentration of protein, RNA, or DNA molecules with shared functions, thus facilitating spatiotemporal control of biochemical reactions spanning a range of cellular processes. Studies discussed herein have shown that aberrant formation of condensates is associated with various diseases such as cancers. Here, we summarize how condensates mechanistically contribute to malignancy-related cellular processes, including genomic instability, epigenetic rewiring, oncogenic transcriptional activation, and signaling. An improved understanding of condensate formation and dissolution will enable development of new cancer therapies. Finally, we address the remaining challenges in the field and suggest future efforts to better integrate condensates into cancer research.