Local thermodynamics govern formation and dissolution of Caenorhabditis elegans P granule condensates.

ABSTRACT: Membraneless compartments, also known as condensates, provide chemically distinct environments and thus spatially organize the cell. A well-studied example of condensates is P granules in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans that play an important role in the development of the germline. P granules are RNA-rich protein condensates that share the key properties of liquid droplets such as a spherical shape, the ability to fuse, and fast diffusion of their molecular components. An outstanding question is to what extent phase separation at thermodynamic equilibrium is appropriate to describe the formation of condensates in an active cellular environment. To address this question, we investigate the response of P granule condensates in living cells to temperature changes. We observe that P gran

SUBMITTER: Fritsch AW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8449359 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature