Sequence-encoded interactions program internal condensate architecture.

ABSTRACT: Many cellular condensates, such as the nucleolus and stress granules, contain multiple coexisting phases with distinct compositions and material properties. This internal organization is crucial for function, yet how it is established remains unclear. Here, using a programmable DNA system, we reveal how molecular interactions can precisely encode multiphase architecture. We find that phase separation drives macromolecules into a semi-dilute regime where subtle differences in homotypic interaction energies are amplified into dominant organizational forces. A critical interaction energy threshold must be overcome to trigger internal demixing, after which molecular partitioning scales near-linearly with interaction strength. This universal relationship is captured by an associative polymer mo

SUBMITTER: Majumder S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12621737 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature