Signaling pathways in innate and adaptive immunity play vital roles in pathogen recognition and the functions of immune cells. Higher-order assemblies have recently emerged as a central principle that governs immune signaling and, by extension, cellular communication in general. There are mainly two types of higher-order assemblies: 1) ordered, solid-like large supramolecular complexes formed by stable and rigid protein-protein interactions, and 2) liquid-like phase-separated condensates formed by weaker and more dynamic intermolecular interactions. This review covers key examples of both types of higher-order assemblies in major immune pathways. By placing emphasis on the molecular structures of the examples provided, we discuss how their structural organization enables elegant mechanisms of signaling regulation.

先天性和适应性免疫中的信号通路在病原体识别和免疫细胞功能中发挥着至关重要的作用。高阶组装最近已成为控制免疫信号传导以及一般细胞通讯的核心原则。高阶组装体主要有两种类型：1）由稳定且刚性的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用形成的有序的、类固体的大超分子复合物，以及2）由较弱和更动态的分子间相互作用形成的类液体的相分离凝聚物。本综述涵盖了主要免疫途径中两种类型的高阶组装的关键示例。通过重点关注所提供示例的分子结构，我们讨论了它们的结构组织如何实现优雅的信号调节机制。