Cell biochemistry beyond membranes: Condensate physics reveals general rules for chemical responses
Basic biology courses teach that cells contain organelles—such as the nucleus, mitochondria and Golgi apparatus—set apart by lipid membranes to get things done. Recent cell biology research has revealed another organizational principle at work in cells across all orders of biology.
In a recent study, researchers have unveiled general rules for how chemical responses within cells are regulated by condensates, which are blobs of proteins and nucleic acids that spontaneously organize themselves. Cell biochemistry courses teach that cells contain organelles separated by lipid membranes, but new research reveals another organizational principle at work in cells.
These droplet-like condensates form and dissolve as cells need them, bringing selected molecules together to coordinate biochemical reactions. Disruptions to this process have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Scientists at Cornell University have developed an experimental metric and theoretical framework to compare chemical effects across different types of condensates.
This framework identifies a number of physical mechanisms underlying the response to chemicals. By focusing on three types of condensates that stick together for different reasons - crowding, stickiness (stickers-and-spacers), and ligand-pocket interactions - researchers were able to uncover patterns in how condensates respond to various molecules found within a cell.
The study offers a scalable alternative to high-dimensional phase diagrams for understanding complex cellular mixtures, potentially aiding in the identification of drugs to target disease-related condensates.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
