The FXR1 network acts as signaling scaffold for actomyosin remodeling

Abstract

It is currently not known whether mRNAs fulfill structural roles in the cytoplasm. Here, we report the FXR1 network, an mRNA-protein (mRNP) network present throughout the cytoplasm, formed by FXR1-mediated packaging of exceptionally long mRNAs. These mRNAs serve as underlying condensate scaffold and concentrate FXR1 molecules. The FXR1 network contains multiple protein binding sites and functions as a signaling scaffold for interacting proteins. We show that it is necessary for RhoA signaling-induced actomyosin reorganization to provide spatial proximity between kinases and their substrates. Point mutations in FXR1, found in its homolog FMR1, where they cause Fragile X syndrome, disrupt the network. FXR1 network disruption prevents actomyosin remodeling--an essential and ubiquitous process for the regulation of cell shape, migration, and synaptic function. These findings uncover a structural role for cytoplasmic mRNA and show how the FXR1 RNA-binding protein as part of the FXR1 network acts as organizer of signaling reactions.