Quantifying surface tension and viscosity in biomolecular condensates by FRAP-ID.

ABSTRACT: Many proteins with intrinsically disordered regions undergo liquid-liquid phase separation under specific conditions in vitro and in vivo. These complex biopolymers form a metastable phase with distinct mechanical properties defining the timescale of their biological functions. However, determining these properties is nontrivial, even in vitro, and often requires multiple techniques. Here we report the measurement of both viscosity and surface tension of biomolecular condensates via correlative fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in a single experiment (fluorescence recovery after probe-induced dewetting, FRAP-ID). Upon surface tension evaluation via regular AFM-force spectroscopy, controlled AFM indentations induce dry spots in fluorescent condensates on a glass cove

SUBMITTER: Santamaria A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11480758 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature