The role of stress-activated RNA–protein granules in surviving adversity

Severe environmental stress can trigger a plethora of physiological changes and, in the process, significant cytoplasmic reorganization. Stress-activated RNA–protein granules have been implicated in this cellular overhaul by sequestering preexisting mRNAs and influencing their fates during and after stress acclimation. While the composition and dynamics of stress-activated granule formation have been well studied, their function and impact on RNA-cargo has remained murky. Several recent studies challenge the view that these granules degrade and silence mRNAs present at the onset of stress and instead suggest new roles for these structures in mRNA storage, transit, and inheritance. Here we discuss recent evidence for revised models of stress-activated granule functions and the role of these granules in stress survival and recovery.