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Crank up the volume: Osmotic stress induces WNK1 phase separation

Ji-Ung Jung^1,† , Clinton A. Taylor IV^1,† , Melanie H. Cobb^1,*

¹Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
^†These authors contributed equally: Ji-Ung Jung, Clinton A. Taylor IV
* Correspondence: Melanie H. Cobb(Melanie.Cobb@UTSouthwestern.edu)

Cell shrinkage, which occurs in a hypertonic environment, results in a rapid rebound response to restore cell volume and ion concentrations. In a recent study published in Cell, Boyd-Shiwarski et al. identify WNK1, a known homeostatic regulator of cell volume, as a molecular crowding sensor, and demonstrate how WNK1 contributes to cell volume recovery through cell shrinkage-dependent phase separation.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-022-00763-2

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