Cancer Mutations of the Tumor Suppressor SPOP Disrupt the Formation of Active, Phase-Separated Compartments (Molecular Cell)

Mutations in the tumor suppressor SPOP are known to cause solid tumors. Bouchard and Otero et al. show that SPOP phase separates with substrates in vitro; the same interactions mediate co-localization in membraneless organelles in cells. SPOP cancer mutations disrupt liquid-liquid phase separation, which correlates with loss of function.