Molecular Drivers of RNA Phase Separation.

ABSTRACT: RNA molecules are essential in orchestrating the assembly of biomolecular condensates and membraneless compartments in cells. Many condensates form via the association of RNA with proteins containing specific RNA binding motifs. However, recent reports indicate that low-complexity RNA sequences can self-assemble into condensate phases without protein assistance. Divalent cations significantly influence the thermodynamics and dynamics of RNA condensates, which exhibit base-specific lower-critical solution temperatures (LCST). The precise molecular origins of these temperatures remain elusive. In this study, we employ atomistic molecular simulations to elucidate the molecular driving forces governing the temperature-dependent phase behavior of RNA, providing new insights into the origins of

SUBMITTER: Ramachandran V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11785085 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature