Macromolecular regulators have matching effects on the phase equilibrium and interfacial tension of biomolecular condensates.

ABSTRACT: The interfacial tension of phase-separated biomolecular condensates affects their fusion and multiphase organization, and yet how this important property depends on the composition and interactions of the constituent macromolecules is poorly understood. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to determine the interfacial tension and phase equilibrium of model condensate-forming systems. The model systems consist of binary mixtures of Lennard-Jones particles or chains of such particles. We refer to the two components as drivers and regulators; the former has stronger self-interactions and hence a higher critical temperature (T_c ) for phase separation. In previous work, we have shown that, depending on the relative strengths of driver-regulator and driver-driver interactions, r

SUBMITTER: Mazarakos K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8197429 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature