Stay updated with breaking news from Polymer physics. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Proteins and nucleic acids can phase-separate in the cell to form concentrated biomolecular condensates1–4. The functions of condensates span many length scales: they modulate interactions and chemical reactions at the molecular scale5, organize biochemical processes at the mesoscale6 and compartmentalize cells4. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these processes will require detailed knowledge of the rich dynamics across these scales7. The mesoscopic dynamics of biomolecular condensates have been extensively characterized8, but their behaviour at the molecular scale has remained more elusive. Here, as an example of biomolecular phase separation, we study complex coacervates of two highly and oppositely charged disordered human proteins9. Their dense phase is 1,000 times more concentrated than the dilute phase, and the resulting percolated interaction network10 leads to a bulk viscosity 300 times greater than that of water. However, single-molec ....
USM Student Named Finalist for Polymer Physics Award | The University of Southern Mississippi usm.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from usm.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.