Acetylation facilitates NPM1 anchoring in the nucleolus by boosting liquid-liquid phase separation

Lys27/Lys54 acetylation in NPM1 promotes nucleolar anchoring under basal conditions by enhancing liquid-liquid phase separation, reshaping its N-terminal electrostatics.

• Why it matters: NPM1 nucleolar redistribution during DNA damage is linked to Lys27/Lys54 acetylation, but how this modifies its multivalent interactions and condensate entry was unclear.
• What they did: The study tested how Lys27/Lys54 acetylation affects NPM1’s electrostatic surface and its ability to undergo homotypic and heterotypic LLPS while preserving structural integrity and oligomerization equilibrium.
• The result: Acetylation neutralizes a basic region and exposes a cryptic acidic surface, increasing charge blockiness and thereby facilitating NPM1 integration into nucleolar condensates.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.