Biophysical characterization of organelle-based RNA/protein liquid phases using microfluidics.

ABSTRACT: Living cells contain numerous membrane-less RNA/protein (RNP) bodies that assemble by intracellular liquid-liquid phase separation. The properties of these condensed phase droplets are increasingly recognized as important in their physiological function within living cells, and also through the link to protein aggregation pathologies. However, techniques such as droplet coalescence analysis or standard microrheology do not always enable robust property measurements of model RNA/protein droplets in vitro. Here, we introduce a microfluidic platform that drives protein droplets into a single large phase, which facilitates viscosity measurements using passive microrheology and/or active two-phase flow analysis. We use this technique to study various phase separating proteins from structures in

SUBMITTER: Taylor N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6724727 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature