Journal: medRxiv
Article Title: A non-coding variant at 2p24.2 confers susceptibility to non-syndromic cleft lip and palate through LLPS-dependent regulation of MYCN
doi: 10.64898/2026.04.07.26350283
Figure Lengend Snippet: (A and B) FOXP2 contains a prominent intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Bioinformatic prediction of the FOXP2 IDR sequence using (A) PONDR and (B) PLAAC, providing the structural basis for phase separation. (C) The risk allele disrupts the formation of FOXP2 nuclear condensates. Representative immunofluorescence images of FOXP2 in cNCCs harboring heterozygous (T/G) or homozygous risk (G/G) alleles at rs4263114. Droplet-like FOXP2 condensates are prominent in T/G cells but show a diffuse distribution in G/G cells. Scale bars, 20 μm (left) and 5 μm (right). (D and E) FOXP2 condensates show highly dynamic liquid-like properties. (D) Representative time-lapse fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) images of EGFP-FOXP2 overexpressing HEPM cells. Scale bar, 5 μm. (E) Quantification of normalized fluorescence recovery intensity over time ( n = 3 independent experiments). (F) LLPS is required for the allele-specific regulatory activity of Enh- MYCN . Dual-luciferase reporter assay comparing the activity of Enh- MYCN constructs harboring the non-risk (T) or risk (G) allele in HEPM cells upon treatment with 1.5% 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HD) to chemically disrupt LLPS. Mean ± SD ( n = 3). Unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. (G-I) Overexpression of the FOXP2-IDR domain rescues phase separation and MYCN expression in risk-allele cNCCs. (G) Immunofluorescence staining of FOXP2 showing restoration of nuclear condensates in homozygous risk (G/G) cNCCs after FOXP2-IDR overexpression (OE-IDR) versus a Mock-vector baseline (OE-Mock). Scale bar, 10 μm. (H) RT-qPCR and (I) western blot analyses of FOXP2 and MYCN mRNA levels, and their corresponding protein levels, in OE-Mock and OE-IDR G/G cNCCs. Data normalized to GAPDH . For (H) Mean ± SD ( n = 3). Two-way ANOVA (Sidak’s post-hoc test).
Article Snippet: For immunoprecipitation, the sheared chromatin was incubated with 2 μg of either anti-FOXP2 antibody (Novus Biologicals, NB100-55411, CO, USA) or normal rabbit IgG (Cell Signaling Technology, 2729S).
Techniques: Sequencing, Immunofluorescence, Fluorescence, Activity Assay, Luciferase, Reporter Assay, Construct, Two Tailed Test, Over Expression, Expressing, Staining, Plasmid Preparation, Quantitative RT-PCR, Western Blot