03 June 2026
How cells sense fluctuations in the availability of water has long been unclear. The protein SAM8 is now shown to undergo a process called phase separation in a way that depends on its hydration, thereby sensing cellular water availability and linking changes in water status to the regulation of gene expression.
This is a summary of: Wang, Y et al. Cellular water-potential sensing through biomolecular condensation. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10591-8 (2026).
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
