TORSEL, a 4EBP1-based mTORC1 live-cell sensor, reveals nutrient-sensing targeting by histone deacetylase inhibitors.

Background: Mammalian or mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is an effective therapeutic target for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, aging, and neurodegeneration. However, an efficient tool for monitoring mTORC1 inhibition in living cells or tissues is lacking.

Results: We developed a genetically encoded mTORC1 sensor called TORSEL.

Initiation of stress granule assembly by rapid clustering of IGF2BP proteins upon osmotic shock.

Stress granules (SGs) are membraneless organelles formed in the cytoplasm by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of translationally-stalled mRNA and RNA-binding proteins during stress response. Understanding the mechanisms governing SG assembly requires imaging SG formation in real time. Although numerous SG proteins have been identified, the kinetics of their recruitment during SG assembly has not been well established.