Extended Data Fig. 1: Presynaptic active-zone scaffolds display LLPS characteristics.
From: Assembly of synaptic active zones requires phase separation of scaffold molecules
a, Predictions of intrinsic disorder in the sequences of presynaptic active-zone components, using the IUPred2a (ref. 37) and Spot-Disorder2 (ref. 38) algorithms. Values above 0.5 indicate intrinsic disorder. b, Predictions of LLPS of active-zone components, using catGRANULE39 and Pi–Pi predictor25 algorithms. Higher values indicate a propensity towards phase separation. c, Expression of GFP- or mCherry-tagged presynaptic active-zone components in COS-7 cells. FUS–GFP is a positive control40,41. Red boxes indicate example puncta that are photobleached in d. Scale bar, 10 μm. d, FRAP analysis of puncta. Data are means ± 95% CI from two independent experiments. Insets show example recovery kinetics of puncta from c. Scale bar, 1 μm. e, Time-lapse analysis of in vivo droplets containing SYD-2 or ELKS-1, showing liquid behaviours of fusion and relaxation. Red arrowheads point to droplets before fusion. Liquid behaviour was observed in multiple cells and in different technical replicates. UNC-10 puncta were dynamic when analysed by FRAP, but never showed liquid behaviour. Scale bars, 1 μm.
