Figure 7. Whi3 condensates coordinate hyphal growth by dynamically switching translation states in response to multiple cues to tune mRNA-specific local translation.

Top to bottom: RNA identity, binding-site number and Whi3 phospho-state shape protein translation at condensates and specify the location of sub-compartment enrichment. This results in a continuum of translation states that is additionally modulated by condensate size in vitro. This continuum is also reflected in the spatial variation in Whi3-target translation at the cell scale in vivo. In addition to spatial variation in translation, the ability to both repress and activate translation underlies normal nuclear division asynchrony and branching phenotypes. This paradigm underscores how a single protein such as Whi3 can differentially regulate RNAs whose encoded protein requirements are vastly different but whose local translation needs to nevertheless be tightly coordinated.