The DEAD-box helicase eIF4A1/2 acts as RNA chaperone during mitotic exit enabling chromatin decondensation

Ramona Jühlen (), Sabine C. Wiesmann, Anja Scheufen, Thilo Stausberg, Isabel Braun, Chantal Strobel, Carmen Llera-Brandt, Sabrina Rappold, Rabia Suluyayla, Marianna Tatarek-Nossol, Birgitt Lennartz, Hongqi Lue, Maximilian W. G. Schneider, Juan-Felipe Perez-Correa, Daniel Moreno-Andrés () and Wolfram Antonin ()
Additional contact information
Ramona Jühlen: RWTH Aachen University
Sabine C. Wiesmann: RWTH Aachen University
Anja Scheufen: RWTH Aachen University
Thilo Stausberg: RWTH Aachen University
Isabel Braun: RWTH Aachen University
Chantal Strobel: RWTH Aachen University
Carmen Llera-Brandt: RWTH Aachen University
Sabrina Rappold: RWTH Aachen University
Rabia Suluyayla: RWTH Aachen University
Marianna Tatarek-Nossol: RWTH Aachen University
Birgitt Lennartz: RWTH Aachen University
Hongqi Lue: RWTH Aachen University
Maximilian W. G. Schneider: RWTH Aachen University
Juan-Felipe Perez-Correa: RWTH Aachen University
Daniel Moreno-Andrés: RWTH Aachen University
Wolfram Antonin: RWTH Aachen University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract During mitosis, chromosomes condense and decondense to segregate faithfully and undamaged. The exact molecular mechanisms are not well understood. We identify the DEAD-box helicase eIF4A1/2 as a critical factor in this process. In a cell-free condensation assay eIF4A1/2 is crucial for this process, relying on its RNA-binding ability but not its ATPase activity. Reducing eIF4A1/2 levels in cells consistently slows down chromatin decondensation during nuclear reformation. Conversely, increasing eIF4A1/2 concentration on mitotic chromosomes accelerates their decondensation. The absence of eIF4A1/2 affects the perichromatin layer, which surrounds the chromosomes during mitosis and consists of RNA and mainly nucleolar proteins. In vitro, eIF4A1/2 acts as an RNA chaperone, dissociating biomolecular condensates of RNA and perichromatin proteins. During mitosis, the chaperone activity of eIF4A1/2 is required to regulate the composition and fluidity of the perichromatin layer, which is crucial for the dynamic reorganization of chromatin as cells exit mitosis.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57592-1 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57592-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57592-1

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().