RNA helicases regulate RNA condensates

Stress granules are cytoplasmic membraneless RNA condensates for storing non-translating mRNAs, which are induced in response to various forms of stress. In a recent issue of Cell, Tauber et al. show that RNA helicases, particularly eIF4A, act to limit the recruitment of non-translating mRNAs to stress granules by disrupting RNA-RNA interactions, which provides a prototype for regulated phase separation in RNA condensates.