Affinage

EDC4

Enhancer of mRNA-decapping protein 4 · UniProt Q6P2E9

Length
1401 aa
Mass
151.7 kDa
Annotated
2026-06-09
27 papers in source corpus 15 papers cited in narrative 15 extracted findings
Cross-family judge vs UniProt: Affinage preferred faithfulness: 6/6 claims corpus-supported (100%)

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

EDC4 (Ge-1/HEDLS) is a large scaffold protein that nucleates cytoplasmic processing bodies (P-bodies) and organizes the 5'-to-3' mRNA decapping machinery (PMID:16314453, PMID:24510189). Its C-terminal domain is necessary and sufficient for P-body targeting and adopts an all-α-helical ARM/HEAT-repeat fold, with conserved surface residues required for localization (PMID:16314453, PMID:18755833); the minimal region (residues 1266-1401) drives phase separation and self-association to build the P-body condensate (PMID:40360209). On this scaffold EDC4 provides simultaneous binding sites for DCP1, DCP2, and XRN1 via short linear motifs, facilitating the weak DCP1-DCP2 interaction and promoting DCP1-mediated activation of the DCP2 decapping enzyme, thereby coupling decapping to XRN1 5'-to-3' decay (PMID:24510189). The EDC4-XRN1 interaction and stoichiometry govern P-body dynamics: disrupting it inhibits decapping, enlarges P-bodies, and stabilizes microRNA-targeted mRNAs in a translationally repressed state, with P-bodies supporting cell viability and suppressing stress granule formation (PMID:37621215). Beyond canonical decapping enhancement, EDC4 acts as a repressor of the MARF1 endoribonuclease by preventing its LOTUS domains from binding target mRNAs (PMID:32510323). EDC4 additionally functions in genome maintenance as a member of the BRCA1-BRIP1-TOPBP1 complex that stimulates double-strand-break end resection during homologous recombination, with its loss causing genome instability and hypersensitivity to interstrand cross-linkers and PARP inhibitors (PMID:29511213).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 13 steps
  1. 2005 High

    Established EDC4 as a core architectural component of P-bodies acting upstream of the decapping enzyme, answering whether it is structural or merely a passenger.

    Evidence siRNA knockdown, deletion mapping, and colocalization epistasis with DCP1a/DCP2 in mammalian cells

    PMID:16314453

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not define the structural basis of C-terminal targeting
    • Did not establish molecular partners on the C-terminal domain
  2. 2008 High

    Defined the fold of the P-body-targeting C-terminal domain as an ARM/HEAT-repeat structure and pinpointed a conserved residue essential for localization.

    Evidence X-ray crystallography and structure-based mutagenesis of the Drosophila Ge-1 C-terminal domain

    PMID:18755833

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not map binding sites for specific decapping factors
    • Did not address phase separation
  3. 2014 High

    Resolved how EDC4 organizes the decapping reaction by showing it scaffolds DCP1, DCP2, and XRN1 simultaneously and promotes DCP1-dependent DCP2 activation, coupling decapping to 5'-to-3' decay.

    Evidence Co-immunoprecipitation, SLiM/mutational mapping, and in vivo decapping assays in human cells

    PMID:24510189

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not establish the in vivo stoichiometry controlling P-body dynamics
    • Structural detail of the scaffold-bound complex not resolved
  4. 2012 Medium

    Identified a non-decapping activity in which EDC4 binds and inhibits CoA synthase dephospho-CoA kinase activity, coupling EDC4 to growth-factor/stress signalling and proliferation.

    Evidence Co-immunoprecipitation, in vitro kinase assay, and overexpression proliferation assay

    PMID:22982864

    Open questions at the time
    • Cellular significance of CoAsy inhibition not established in vivo
    • Single lab without mechanistic follow-up
  5. 2011 Medium

    Showed the EDC4 ortholog is essential for germline P-body formation and contributes to mRNP integrity, addressing its developmental requirement.

    Evidence Genetic knockouts, immunohistochemistry, and epistasis in Drosophila germline

    PMID:21655181

    Open questions at the time
    • Direct molecular role in oskar RNP integrity unresolved
    • Findings in ortholog, not mammalian system
  6. 2016 Medium

    Linked an EDC4 linker-region polymorphism to antiviral resistance, implicating the decapping scaffold in host defence independent of the siRNA pathway.

    Evidence Transgenic allele replacement, viral titre assays, and pathway epistasis in Drosophila

    PMID:26799957

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism by which the serine-rich linker confers resistance unknown
    • Not tested in mammalian antiviral contexts
  7. 2018 High

    Revealed an unexpected nuclear genome-maintenance role: EDC4 is a BRCA1-BRIP1-TOPBP1 complex member that stimulates end resection in homologous recombination.

    Evidence Co-IP complex identification, HR and end-resection assays, drug sensitivity, and genome instability measurement

    PMID:29511213

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular activity of EDC4 within the resection step not defined
    • Relationship between cytoplasmic decapping and HR roles unresolved
  8. 2020 High

    Defined a repressive RNA role distinct from decapping enhancement: EDC4 inhibits MARF1 endoribonuclease by blocking LOTUS-domain mRNA binding.

    Evidence Co-IP, transcriptome-wide MARF1 target mapping, LOTUS RNA-binding assay, and mutagenesis

    PMID:32510323

    Open questions at the time
    • Physiological balance between MARF1 repression and DCP2 enhancement unknown
    • Regulation of the EDC4-MARF1 switch undefined
  9. 2020 Medium

    Connected EDC4 to the DNA-damage response through RPA, showing it promotes RPA phosphorylation and limits cisplatin damage, contributing to chemoresistance.

    Evidence Co-IP, knockdown/overexpression, γH2AX imaging, and double-knockdown epistasis placing RPA downstream

    PMID:33054858

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism by which EDC4 promotes RPA phosphorylation not established
    • Single lab, not reciprocally validated
  10. 2023 High

    Established that EDC4-XRN1 interaction and stoichiometry control P-body size and decay flux, defining P-bodies as regulators of mRNA fate, viability, and stress-granule suppression.

    Evidence Interaction-disruption mutants, mRNA stability and miRNA reporter assays, P-body sizing, and stress granule imaging

    PMID:37621215

    Open questions at the time
    • Quantitative rules governing condensate growth versus decay incompletely defined
    • Upstream signals tuning stoichiometry unknown
  11. 2024 Medium

    Tied the decapping scaffold to the ubiquitin-proteasome system, showing EDC4 promotes DCP2 assembly with the GID/CTLH ligase during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.

    Evidence Genetic interaction, Co-IP, and mRNA stability assays in C. elegans

    PMID:39331503

    Open questions at the time
    • Conservation of the EDC4-GID/CTLH link in mammals untested
    • Direct versus indirect bridging not resolved
  12. 2025 High

    Identified the minimal phase-separating domain and a microprotein inhibitor (NBDY) that selectively dissolves P-bodies, showing condensate disruption activates the p53 pathway and stabilizes transcripts.

    Evidence Deletion mapping, phase separation reconstitution, direct NBDY-peptide binding, transcriptome profiling, and p53 reporter

    PMID:40360209

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism linking P-body dissolution to p53 activation not defined
    • Endogenous regulation of NBDY-mediated dissolution unknown
  13. 2025 Medium

    Showed Ebola virus VP35 hijacks the EDC4 scaffold to support early viral RNA synthesis, implicating the P-body scaffold in viral replication.

    Evidence BioID, Co-IP, colocalization in infected cells, and siRNA knockdown with viral RNA synthesis assay

    PMID:41006235

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism by which EDC4 supports viral RNA synthesis undefined
    • Whether decapping activity is required not established

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • How EDC4's cytoplasmic decapping/scaffolding function is mechanistically integrated with its nuclear HR and DNA-damage-response roles, and how cells partition EDC4 between these activities, remains unresolved.
  • No structural model linking the decapping scaffold to the BRCA1-BRIP1-TOPBP1 complex
  • Signals controlling EDC4 subcellular partitioning unknown

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0060090 molecular adaptor activity 3 GO:0098772 molecular function regulator activity 3
Localization
GO:0005829 cytosol 2 GO:0005634 nucleus 1
Pathway
R-HSA-8953854 Metabolism of RNA 3 R-HSA-73894 DNA Repair 2
Complex memberships
BRCA1-BRIP1-TOPBP1 complexP-bodymRNA decapping complex (DCP1-DCP2-XRN1 scaffold)

Evidence

Reading pass · 15 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2005 Ge-1 (EDC4) is a central component of mammalian cytoplasmic P-bodies. Its C-terminal domain (containing repeating psi(X(2-3)) motifs) is necessary and sufficient for P-body targeting. siRNA-mediated knockdown of Ge-1 results in loss of P-bodies containing Ge-1, DCP1a, and DCP2, but Ge-1-containing P-bodies persist despite knockdown of DCP2, placing Ge-1 upstream of DCP2 in P-body assembly. siRNA knockdown, immunofluorescence colocalization, deletion mapping, autoimmune serum identification RNA (New York, N.Y.) High 16314453
2008 The crystal structure of the Drosophila Ge-1 (EDC4) C-terminal domain reveals an all alpha-helical fold related to ARM/HEAT-repeat proteins. Structure-based mutagenesis identified an invariant surface residue required for P-body localization, and conservation of critical residues suggests this fold and function are shared across the Ge-1 family. X-ray crystallography, structure-based mutagenesis, P-body localization assay RNA (New York, N.Y.) High 18755833
2014 EDC4 serves as a scaffold for assembly of the human mRNA decapping complex, providing distinct binding sites for DCP1, DCP2, and XRN1 on its C-terminal domain. DCP2 and XRN1 bind simultaneously via short linear motifs (SLiMs). DCP1 and DCP2 form direct but weak interactions that are facilitated by EDC4. The DCP1 EVH1 domain NR-loop is critical for DCP2 activation, and this activation occurs preferentially on the EDC4 scaffold, coupling decapping with 5'-to-3' decay by XRN1. Mutational analysis, co-immunoprecipitation, in vivo decapping assays, binding studies Nucleic acids research High 24510189
2011 Drosophila Ge-1 (dGe-1) is an essential P-body component required for P-body formation in the germline. dGe-1 partially colocalizes with oskar mRNA and is required for oskar RNP integrity. While not essential for oskar mRNA localization under normal conditions, dGe-1 becomes critical when other components (staufen, DCP1, barentsz) are limiting. Genetic knockouts, immunohistochemistry, biochemical fractionation, genetic epistasis with other localization factors PloS one Medium 21655181
2012 EDC4 forms a complex with Coenzyme A synthase (CoAsy) and strongly inhibits the dephospho-CoA kinase activity of CoAsy in vitro. CoAsy/EDC4 complex formation is regulated by growth factors and cellular stresses. Transient overexpression of EDC4 decreases cell proliferation, and co-expression of CoAsy diminishes this effect. Co-immunoprecipitation, in vitro kinase activity assay, overexpression/proliferation assay FEBS letters Medium 22982864
2014 CCHCR1 interacts with EDC4 (identified as the major interacting partner by co-immunoprecipitation coupled with LC-MS/MS), and this interaction targets CCHCR1 to P-bodies; the N-terminus of CCHCR1 is required for its P-body localization. Co-immunoprecipitation with EGFP-tagged CCHCR1, LC-MS/MS, confocal imaging, deletion mapping Experimental cell research Low 24858563
2014 EDC4 (Edc4) interacts with the mTORC1 complex (identified via co-immunoprecipitation). Rapamycin treatment increases total Edc4 protein expression but decreases Edc4 interaction with mTORC1 and decreases serine phosphorylation of Edc4, suggesting mTORC1 regulates Edc4 phosphorylation and activity in mRNA decapping. Co-immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, confocal colocalization, rapamycin treatment International journal of molecular sciences Low 25514416
2016 A naturally occurring 26 amino acid deletion in the serine-rich linker region of Drosophila Ge-1 confers resistance to sigma virus infection. Knockdown of the susceptible allele decreases viral titre. DCP1, which interacts with Ge-1, also protects against sigma virus. Ge-1-based resistance is not dependent on the siRNA pathway. Transgenic fly generation with sequence modification, viral titre assay, siRNA pathway epistasis test, knockdown experiments PLoS pathogens Medium 26799957
2018 EDC4 is a member of the BRCA1-BRIP1-TOPBP1 complex and plays a key role in homologous recombination by stimulating end resection at double-strand breaks. EDC4 deficiency leads to genome instability and hypersensitivity to DNA interstrand cross-linking drugs and PARP inhibitors. Co-immunoprecipitation (complex membership), HR assay, DNA end resection assay, drug sensitivity assay, genome instability measurement Nature communications High 29511213
2020 EDC4 interacts with MARF1 endoribonuclease and impairs MARF1 activity by preventing its LOTUS domains from binding target mRNAs. This represents a non-canonical role for EDC4 as a repressor of MARF1-mediated mRNA decay, distinct from its role as an enhancer of DCP2-mediated decapping. Co-immunoprecipitation, transcriptome-wide MARF1 target identification, LOTUS domain RNA binding assay, mutagenesis eLife High 32510323
2020 EDC4 interacts with replication protein A (RPA) by immunoprecipitation and promotes RPA phosphorylation. EDC4 knockdown enhances cisplatin-induced DNA damage and sensitivity, while EDC4 overexpression reduces DNA damage. RPA knockdown reverses the inhibitory effect of EDC4 on cisplatin-induced DNA damage, placing RPA downstream of EDC4 in this pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation, siRNA knockdown, overexpression, γH2AX immunofluorescence, MTT/colony assays, epistasis by double knockdown Hereditas Medium 33054858
2023 Disrupting the EDC4-XRN1 interaction or altering their stoichiometry inhibits mRNA decapping and stabilizes microRNA-targeted mRNAs in a translationally repressed state. This concomitantly leads to larger P-bodies that are responsible for preventing mRNA decapping. P-bodies support cell viability and prevent stress granule formation when XRN1 is limiting. Interaction disruption mutants, mRNA stability assays, P-body size measurements, microRNA reporter assays, cell viability assays, stress granule imaging The EMBO journal High 37621215
2024 In C. elegans, EDC-4 counteracts EDC-3 and promotes assembly of DCAP-2 (DCP2) with the GID/CTLH complex (a ubiquitin ligase involved in maternal-to-zygotic transition), linking the mRNA decapping scaffold to the ubiquitin-proteasome system during embryonic development. Genetic interaction studies, co-immunoprecipitation, mRNA stability assays, fluorescence microscopy in C. elegans Cell reports Medium 39331503
2025 The EDC4 C-terminal domain (residues 1266-1401) is the minimal region required for P-body formation, driving phase separation and EDC4 condensation. The microprotein Nobody (NBDY) 22-41 peptide directly binds the EDC4 C-terminal domain and inhibits its self-association, selectively dissolving P-bodies without affecting the canonical mRNA decay pathway. P-body disruption activates the p53 pathway and enhances stability of associated transcripts. Deletion mapping, phase separation assay, direct binding assay (NBDY peptide to EDC4 CTD), P-body dissolution assay, transcriptome profiling, p53 pathway reporter RNA (New York, N.Y.) High 40360209
2025 Ebola virus VP35 protein binds the EDC4 scaffold protein through the EDC4 C-terminal subdomain, with both proteins colocalizing in EBOV-infected cells. siRNA depletion of EDC4 reduces EBOV replication by inhibiting early viral RNA synthesis. Proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID), co-immunoprecipitation, colocalization imaging in infected cells, siRNA knockdown with viral RNA synthesis assay Nature communications Medium 41006235

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 27 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2005 Ge-1 is a central component of the mammalian cytoplasmic mRNA processing body. RNA (New York, N.Y.) 157 16314453
2014 The activation of the decapping enzyme DCP2 by DCP1 occurs on the EDC4 scaffold and involves a conserved loop in DCP1. Nucleic acids research 102 24510189
1987 Gerbich blood group deficiency of the Ge:-1,-2,-3 and Ge:-1,-2,3 types. Immunochemical study and genomic analysis with cDNA probes. European journal of biochemistry 50 3595602
2008 Electrodeposition of Ge, Si and Si x Ge 1-x from an air- and water-stable ionic liquid. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP 38 18665315
2018 Decapping protein EDC4 regulates DNA repair and phenocopies BRCA1. Nature communications 36 29511213
2023 The EDC4-XRN1 interaction controls P-body dynamics to link mRNA decapping with decay. The EMBO journal 34 37621215
2008 The C-terminal region of Ge-1 presents conserved structural features required for P-body localization. RNA (New York, N.Y.) 32 18755833
2011 Drosophila Ge-1 promotes P body formation and oskar mRNA localization. PloS one 24 21655181
2016 A Polymorphism in the Processing Body Component Ge-1 Controls Resistance to a Naturally Occurring Rhabdovirus in Drosophila. PLoS pathogens 22 26799957
2014 CCHCR1 interacts with EDC4, suggesting its localization in P-bodies. Experimental cell research 21 24858563
2021 Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution from Water over Cu2SnGe1-S3 Particles. Journal of the American Chemical Society 18 33827207
2012 EDC4 interacts with and regulates the dephospho-CoA kinase activity of CoA synthase. FEBS letters 18 22982864
2020 A non-canonical role for the EDC4 decapping factor in regulating MARF1-mediated mRNA decay. eLife 13 32510323
2020 Enhancer of mRNA Decapping protein 4 (EDC4) interacts with replication protein a (RPA) and contributes to Cisplatin resistance in cervical Cancer by alleviating DNA damage. Hereditas 12 33054858
2020 Reducing interfacial resistance of a Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 solid electrolyte/electrode interface by polymer interlayer protection. RSC advances 9 35498566
2014 Crosstalk between Edc4 and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling in mRNA decapping. International journal of molecular sciences 6 25514416
2025 EDC4 C-terminal domain scaffolds P-body assembly and links P-body dynamics to p53-mediated tumor suppression. RNA (New York, N.Y.) 5 40360209
2024 EDC-3 and EDC-4 regulate embryonic mRNA clearance and biomolecular condensate specialization. Cell reports 5 39331503
2024 Construction of SnO2 buffer layer and analysis of its interface modification for Li and Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 in solid-state batteries. Journal of colloid and interface science 4 38394818
2025 A protein-proximity screen reveals Ebola virus co-opts the mRNA decapping complex through the scaffold protein EDC4. Nature communications 3 41006235
2023 Dynamic "Cap"-abilities of P-bodies and the XRN1-EDC4 axis. The EMBO journal 3 37750488
2025 The molecular axis hnRNPU/circKCNK2/EDC4/IL-11 aggravates osteolytic bone metastasis of RCC. Oncogene 2 40640337
2024 A protein-proximity screen reveals Ebola virus co-opts the mRNA decapping complex through the scaffold protein EDC4. Research square 2 38352529
2017 Complete genome sequence of Thermus brockianus GE-1 reveals key enzymes of xylan/xylose metabolism. Standards in genomic sciences 2 28174620
2022 Magnetic phase diagram of the solid solution LaMn2(Ge1-xSix)2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) unraveled by powder neutron diffraction. Scientific reports 1 35665754
2025 EDC4 enhances multi-drug chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer via GR50-based profiling. Cancer cell international 0 41073999
2016 2D Tl-Pb compounds on Ge(1 1 1) surface: atomic arrangement and electronic band structure. Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal 0 27845925

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