Regulation of cGAS activity through RNA-mediated phase separation

Abstract

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensor that functions in the innate immune system. Upon binding dsDNA in the cytoplasm, cGAS and dsDNA form phase-separated aggregates in which cGAS catalyzes synthesis of 23-cyclic GMP-AMP that subsequently triggers a STING-dependent, type I IFN response. Here, we showed that cytoplasmic RNAs, especially tRNAs, regulate cGAS activity. We discovered that RNAs did not activate cGAS but rather promoted phase separation in vitro. In cells, cGAS colocalized with RNAs and formed phase-separated granules even in the absence of cytoplasmic dsDNA. An Opti-prep gradient analysis of cell lysates showed that the endogenous cGAS was associated with cytoplasmic RNAs in an aggregative form. Further in vitro assays showed that RNAs compete for binding of cGAS with dsDNA and inhibit cGAS activity when the dsDNA concentration is high and promote the formation of phase separations and enhance cGAS activity when the dsDNA concentration is low. Thus, cytoplasmic RNAs regulate cGAS activity by interfering with formation of cGAS-containing aggregates.