Visualizing molecular architectures of cellular condensates: hints of complex coacervation scenarios
| Autor: | Julia Mahamid, Sara K. Goetz |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Organelles
0303 health sciences Data Visualization Cell Membrane Nanotechnology Cell Biology Biology Phase Transition General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Intrinsically Disordered Proteins 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Nucleic Acids Animals Humans Molecular Biology 030217 neurology & neurosurgery 030304 developmental biology Developmental Biology |
| Zdroj: | Developmental Cell |
| ISSN: | 1534-5807 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.09.003 |
| Popis: | In the last decade, liquid-liquid phase separation has emerged as a fundamental principle in the organization of crowded cellular environments into functionally distinct membraneless compartments. It is now established that biomolecules can condense into various physical phases, traditionally defined for simple polymer systems, and more recently elucidated by techniques employed in life sciences. We review pioneering cryo-electron tomography studies that have begun to unravel a wide spectrum of molecular architectures, ranging from amorphous to crystalline assemblies, that underlie cellular condensates. These observations bring into question current interpretations of microscopic phase behavior. Furthermore, by examining emerging concepts of non-classical phase separation pathways in small-molecule crystallization, we draw parallels with biomolecular condensation that highlight aspects not yet fully explored. In particular, transient and metastable intermediates that might be challenging to capture experimentally inside cells could be probed through computational simulations and enable a multi-scale understanding of the subcellular organization governed by distinct phases. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|