Fibers and Glasses are Competing Material States in FUS Protein Condensation
Dense, well-ordered material states of proteins form the amyloid fibers that are a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease in the brain. Beyond forming amyloid fibers, some of these proteins can also adopt other material states termed condensates which are initially liquid-like but evolve to a soft, glassy phase. Fiber growth requires a large supply of monomers and, thus, it is often speculated…
Recent research on the protein FUS has revealed two distinct material states that coexist and age differently. Dense, well-ordered amyloid fibers - a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease - form alongside liquid-like condensates that eventually transform into a glassy, solid phase. According to the study, fiber growth predominantly occurs in the dilute regions surrounding these condensates, while the condensates themselves undergo a transition to a rigid, glassy state.
These findings demonstrate that there are two competing aging pathways in FUS condensation, which are interconnected through phase separation kinetics.
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