Visualization of G3BP1–RNA Condensate Nascent Assembly and Early Maturation by HS-AFM

Abstract

Stress granules (SGs) are stress-induced ribonucleoprotein condensates assembled around untranslated mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins. G3BP1 is a central regulator of SG formation, yet the molecular events that initiate G3BP1-mediated condensation remain poorly understood. Current models propose that condensation is initiated by RNA–RNA interactions, G3BP1 self-association, or RNA-dependent assembly of G3BP1 into higher-order networks. To define the earliest steps of condensate formation, we employed high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to monitor G3BP1–RNA assembly at the nanometer scale. HS-AFM revealed that G3BP1 first associates with RNA to form discrete nascent assemblies that progressively recruit additional RNA and G3BP1 molecules. These assemblies subsequently grow into higher-order RNA–protein condensates through stepwise assembly. Together, these observations identify RNA-bound G3BP1 assemblies as the initiating structures of condensate formation and provide a framework for understanding the early stages of stress granule assembly.