Biological complexity: how proteins congregate (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, March 29, 2021, 20:07 (1335 days ago) @ David Turell

Large protein molecules are drawn together by their electrical charges:

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-proteins-complex-simple-explanation.html

"Reporting in the journal eLife, the Spartan team led by Michael Feig and Lisa Lapidus showed that relatively simple characteristics help RNA and proteins organize themselves. Researchers believe that when these biomolecules congregate, or condense, it can help speed up or enhance a range of cellular functions. "The main consequence of such condensates is that it may bring functionally related biomolecules closer together," said Feig, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the MSU College of Natural Science.

"'Having them condensed could speed up the process because you don't have to wait for a molecule to show up from far away," said Lapidus, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

"Although more research is needed to reveal the exact workings of condensates, the MSU team has revealed that relatively basic traits of the biomolecules involved can spur what's known as phase separation.

"Specifically, when RNA and proteins are large enough and have sufficiently strong and opposite electric charges, they can form a condensed phase that's biologically distinct from a more diffuse phase of biomolecules.

"These remarkably simple drivers suggest that the phenomenon could be widespread in biology.

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"'Phase separation is a key mechanism for forming membrane-less organelles, which are responsible for a number of functions in cells," Dutagaci said, including metabolism and DNA replication. "These are the processes that help cells live.'"

Comment: This process is well known, but how easily it happened was not realized. Obviously crowding together speeds reactions. The maintenance of life requires the high speed.