RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS-How Cells “Talk” to Their Surroundings: NYCU Study Uncover Liquid Droplet Mechanism Behind Cilia Formation-National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Source: https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/view?module=headnews&id=623&serno=876a64cf-7d42-40a2-bd72-e0d0f8cc76bb Parent: https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/list?module=headnews&id=623
12
NYCU
National-Level\ Research Center
20
NYCU
University-Level\ Research Centers
28
NYCU
College-Level\ Research Centers
167
NYCU
Total Awarded Students\ Participating in Competitions
379
NYCU
Number of Academic Papers\ Published by Students or Exhibition\ Activities Organized by Students
50+
NYCU
Number of International\ Collaborations on Academic\ Research Projects
243
NYCU
Number of Students Attending\ International Conference
- Update Date：2025-11-05
- Units：Office of International Promotion and Outreach
How Cells “Talk” to Their Surroundings: NYCU Study Uncover Liquid Droplet Mechanism Behind Cilia Formation
TTBK2 and CEP164 form liquid-like condensates to promote cilia growth (schematic illustration).
Edited by Chance Lai\ ______
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) researchers have unveiled how cells build their microscopic “antenna” — a slender, hair-like structure known as the primary cilium, which plays a crucial role in sensing the environment. The study reveals that two key proteins responsible for cilia formation can fuse, much like liquid droplets, through a process called liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), offering new insights into cellular communication and potential treatments for ciliopathies. The study, titled “Phase separation of TTBK2 and CEP164 is necessary for ciliogenesis,” was published in Cell Reports.\ \ A Microscopic Antenna That Senses the World\ \ The primary cilium, hundreds of times thinner than a human hair, acts as a cell’s radar. When damaged, cells lose their ability to perceive external signals, leading to developmental disorders such as microcephaly and other genetic diseases. While scientists have long known that specific cellular structures and proteins are required for cilia assembly, the mechanism by which certain proteins interact to trigger the process has remained a mystery — until now.\ \ Led by Professor Won-Jing Wang and Jie-rong Huang from NYCU’s Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the research team used human retinal pigment epithelial cells to investigate how two cilia-associated proteins, TTBK2 and CEP164, interact. They discovered that these proteins do not bind like puzzle pieces or “lock and key” models, which are typical of structured proteins. Instead, they join through LLPS — a biochemical phenomenon where proteins with intrinsically disordered regions attract each other via electrostatic forces to form liquid-like condensates.\ \ LLPS: A Paradigm Shift in Molecular Biology\ \ “Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) has only recently gained widespread attention,” said Prof. Huang. “Scientists used to believe that only structured regions of proteins could interact. We now know that even disordered regions can combine through this liquid droplet behavior, redefining how we understand protein organization in cells.”
\ \ \ Prof. Wang added, “Cilia are fascinating organelles. Some types, like the primary cilium, act as sensory antennas — such as those found on retinal cells — while others, like motile cilia, help move cells or fluids, as seen in sperm tails and respiratory tracts. Our discovery provides the first molecular evidence that protein phase separation drives cilia formation.”\ \ Implications for Neurological and Genetic Disorders\ \ Mutations in the TTBK2 gene are known to cause neurodegenerative conditions such as spinocerebellar ataxia, a form of cerebellar degeneration. The NYCU team’s discovery sheds light on how abnormal phase separation may disrupt cilia assembly, opening a potential pathway toward developing therapeutic strategies for ciliopathies and related diseases.\ \ This groundbreaking finding not only deepens our understanding of how cells construct their sensory machinery but also highlights the intricate beauty of biological self-organization — where even shapeless molecules can come together to build life’s most delicate structures.\ \ Professors Jie-rong Huang (right) and Won-Jing Wang from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at NYCU.
Related Image(s)：