eLife (Mar 2016)

A pH-driven transition of the cytoplasm from a fluid- to a solid-like state promotes entry into dormancy

  • Matthias Christoph Munder,
  • Daniel Midtvedt,
  • Titus Franzmann,
  • Elisabeth Nüske,
  • Oliver Otto,
  • Maik Herbig,
  • Elke Ulbricht,
  • Paul Müller,
  • Anna Taubenberger,
  • Shovamayee Maharana,
  • Liliana Malinovska,
  • Doris Richter,
  • Jochen Guck,
  • Vasily Zaburdaev,
  • Simon Alberti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09347
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5

Abstract

Read online

Cells can enter into a dormant state when faced with unfavorable conditions. However, how cells enter into and recover from this state is still poorly understood. Here, we study dormancy in different eukaryotic organisms and find it to be associated with a significant decrease in the mobility of organelles and foreign tracer particles. We show that this reduced mobility is caused by an influx of protons and a marked acidification of the cytoplasm, which leads to widespread macromolecular assembly of proteins and triggers a transition of the cytoplasm to a solid-like state with increased mechanical stability. We further demonstrate that this transition is required for cellular survival under conditions of starvation. Our findings have broad implications for understanding alternative physiological states, such as quiescence and dormancy, and create a new view of the cytoplasm as an adaptable fluid that can reversibly transition into a protective solid-like state.

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