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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDNature

Cellular water-potential sensing through biomolecular condensation

  • Yunhe Wang1,2,3
  • Longchen Zhu4
  • Yun Yang1
  • Xiaoshuang Li5
  • Xin Zhang4
  • Xiaofeng Fang6,7,8
8 affiliations
  1. 1Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
  2. 2State Key Laboratory of Green Biomanufacturing, Beijing, China
  3. 3Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
  4. 4Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, Westlake University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
  5. 5State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
  6. 6Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. [email protected]
  7. 7State Key Laboratory of Green Biomanufacturing, Beijing, China. [email protected]
  8. 8Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China. [email protected]
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Abstract

Water molecules, as solvents for biomolecules, are essential to cells. The water potential of the cell decreases under water-deficient conditions1,2, yet how cells sense changes in water potential remains unknown. Here we identify a sterile alpha motif (SAM)-containing protein, SAM8, that undergoes water-potential-dependent condensation both in vivo and in vitro and is crucial for hyperosmotic stress tolerance and seed germination. We use biophysical techniques, in vitro reconstitution and bioimaging to demonstrate that SAM8 is strongly hydrated under normal water conditions, preventing its macroscopic condensation. A negatively charged patch determines SAM8 hydration by creating an electric field and micropolar environment. Water-deficient conditions weaken this hydration, thereby activating SAM8 condensation by reprogramming hydrogen bond, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SAM8 condensates selectively sequester RNA export factors, leading to nuclear retention of mRNAs and translational reprogramming under hyperosmotic stress. Our findings show a mechanism by which plant cells directly sense and respond to water status, shedding light on how they adapt to water deficit conditions. Plants sense water deficiency through SAM8 protein condensation, which responds to reduced hydration and triggers stress adaptation by altering RNA export and gene translation.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wang2026cellular,
  title = {{Cellular water-potential sensing through biomolecular condensation}},
  author = {Yunhe Wang and Longchen Zhu and Yun Yang and Xiaoshuang Li and Xin Zhang and Xiaofeng Fang},
  journal = {Nature},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  doi = {10.1038/s41586-026-10591-8},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10591-8},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Cellular water-potential sensing through biomolecular condensation
AU  - Yunhe Wang
AU  - Longchen Zhu
AU  - Yun Yang
AU  - Xiaoshuang Li
AU  - Xin Zhang
AU  - Xiaofeng Fang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/27
JO  - Nature
DO  - 10.1038/s41586-026-10591-8
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10591-8
AB  - Water molecules, as solvents for biomolecules, are essential to cells. The water potential of the cell decreases under water-deficient conditions1,2, yet how cells sense changes in water potential remains unknown. Here we identify a sterile alpha motif (SAM)-containing protein, SAM8, that undergoes water-potential-dependent condensation both in vivo and in vitro and is crucial for hyperosmotic stress tolerance and seed germination. We use biophysical techniques, in vitro reconstitution and bioimaging to demonstrate that SAM8 is strongly hydrated under normal water conditions, preventing its macroscopic condensation. A negatively charged patch determines SAM8 hydration by creating an electric field and micropolar environment. Water-deficient conditions weaken this hydration, thereby activating SAM8 condensation by reprogramming hydrogen bond, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SAM8 condensates selectively sequester RNA export factors, leading to nuclear retention of mRNAs and translational reprogramming under hyperosmotic stress. Our findings show a mechanism by which plant cells directly sense and respond to water status, shedding light on how they adapt to water deficit conditions. Plants sense water deficiency through SAM8 protein condensation, which responds to reduced hydration and triggers stress adaptation by altering RNA export and gene translation.
SN  - 0028-0836
SN  - 1476-4687
ER  -