![]() Their low-complexity, prion-like sub-sequences govern LLPS, making the process prone to undergo material state transitions, such as the liquid–solid transition exhibited by RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS), as well as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43). Clients in this context are molecules that may partition into MLOs, but they hold no influence over their formation ].Ī category of proteins whose members are especially prone to such processes is intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Smaller molecules and ions are omitted from this category, even if they are required for the initiation of the condensation process. In this specific type of phenomenon, the term ‘scaffolds’ is often replaced by ‘drivers’, referring to sets of proteins that are able to drive LLPS on their own. The characteristic feature of liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) that distinguishes it from other processes related to phase separation is that the solution transitions into distinct phases where certain solutes are present in highly elevated concentrations, and these phases exhibit liquid-like properties. Scaffold–scaffold interactions are more persistent than scaffold–client interactions, and the composition changes according to a set of factors such as stress and the cell cycle ]. P bodies are a good example of this duality, they are scaffolded by a few critical RNA-binding proteins and store mRNAs and most protein components of the mRNA degradation machinery as clients. The latter type contains the majority of the components however, they only participate in functionalities under certain circumstances. The former type consists of molecules essential to the integrity of the MLOs. Regarding their functions, there are two main types of molecules participating in phase separation, as distinguished by Banani et al. The molecular assemblies formed by these processes are typically micron-sized objects, containing multivalent proteins with multiple modular domains and disordered regions, often of low sequence complexity ]. Phase separation can result in different states of MLOs from liquids through gels to solids ]. The general name for the phenomenon is phase separation, and it has been shown to have a role in critical processes of the living cell, such as chromatin regulation, RNA transcription, organization of the postsynaptic density (PSD) and so on ]. Interestingly, this smart solution for the reversible and finely tuned compartmentalization of biochemical processes has only come to the focus of intensive research relatively recently. ![]() These need to be efficiently performed and finely regulated in space and time, therefore cells employ a molecular process wherein macromolecules, mainly multi-domain proteins and RNAs, establish multivalent weak interactions to form functionally specialized liquid compartments, the so-called membraneless organelles (MLOs). LLPS, liquid–liquid phase separation Protein phase separationĬells are continuously conducting various complex biochemical processes. ![]()
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