biostudies-literatureDai YNIHNIGMS NIH HHSAir Force Office of Scientific Research5951-5966.e18https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11490381biostudies-literatureUnknown187(21)Control of the electrochemical environment in living cells is typically attributed to ion channels. Here, we show that the formation of biomolecular condensates can modulate the electrochemical environment in bacterial cells, which affects cellular processes globally. Condensate formation generates an electric potential gradient, which directly affects the electrochemical properties of a cell, including cytoplasmic pH and membrane potential. Condensate formation also amplifies cell-cell variability of their electrochemical properties due to passive environmental effect. The modulation of the electrochemical equilibria further controls cell-environment interactions, thus directly influencing bacterial survival under antibiotic stress. The condensate-mediated shift in intracellular electrochCellBiomolecular condensates regulate cellular electrochemical equilibria.PMC11490381R01 GM098642R35 GM127042Lantelme EYou LKim KYu WMa YChilkoti ARivera NMohammed JDai YZhou ZHsu-Kim HfalseBiomolecular condensates regulate cellular electrochemical equilibria.Control of the electrochemical environment in living cells is typically attributed to ion channels. Here, we show that the formation of biomolecular condensates can modulate the electrochemical environment in bacterial cells, which affects cellular processes globally. Condensate formation generates an electric potential gradient, which directly affects the electrochemical properties of a cell, including cytoplasmic pH and membrane potential. Condensate formation also amplifies cell-cell variability of their electrochemical properties due to passive environmental effect. The modulation of the electrochemical equilibria further controls cell-environment interactions, thus directly influencing bacterial survival under antibiotic stress. The condensate-mediated shift in intracellular electroch2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Oct2026-06-04T11:43:25.615Z2026-05-08T03:11:02.573ZS-EPMC114903813926037310.1016/j.cell.2024.08.018