title: A pH-driven transition of the cytoplasm from a fluid- to a solid-like state promotes entry into dormancy.
abstract: Cells can enter into a dormant state when faced with unfavorable conditions. However, how cells enter into and recover from this state is still poorly understood. Here, we study dormancy in different eukaryotic organisms and find it to be associated with a significant decrease in the mobility of organelles and foreign tracer particles. We show that this reduced mobility is caused by an influx of protons and a marked acidification of the cytoplasm, which leads to widespread macromolecular assembly of proteins and triggers a transition of the cytoplasm to a solid-like state with increased mechanical stability. We further demonstrate that this transition is required for cellular survival under conditions of starvation. Our findings have broad implications for understanding alternative physiological states, such as quiescence and dormancy, and create a new view of the cytoplasm as an adaptable fluid that can reversibly transition into a protective solid-like state.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias Christoph
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3594-4725
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Munder
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Midtvedt
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Titus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Franzmann
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nüske
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Maik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herbig
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulbricht
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taubenberger
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Shovamayee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maharana
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malinovska
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1453-6119
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guck
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Vasily
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zaburdaev
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4017-6505
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alberti
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000502:physiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D044367:Phase Transition / Q000187:drug effects*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
keywords: <i>s. cerevisiae</i>; <i>s. pombe</i>; biophysics; cell biology; cytosolic pH; dictyostelium; dormancy; macromolecular assembly; metabolism; phase transition; starvation; structural biology