Dresden 2026 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 20: Protein Structure and Dynamics
BP 20.6: Vortrag
Mittwoch, 11. März 2026, 16:45–17:00, BAR/0106
What is the structure of biomolecular condensates? — •Charlotta Lorenz1,2, Nathaniel Hess3, Sully Bailey-Darland1, Teagan Bate1, Takumi Matsuzawa1, Tong Wang1, Kaarthik Varma1, Dana Matthias1, Harsha Koganti1, Lois Pollack1, Benjamin Schuler2, Jerelle Joseph3, and Eric Dufresne1 — 1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA — 2University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland — 3Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
Biomolecular condensates are important for a variety of cellular functions, such as biochemical regulation, structural organization, and RNA metabolism. While the properties and physiology of these condensates depend on their structure, this important aspect has received little experimental consideration. We expect a structure-function relationship determined by protein-protein interactions. Recent simulations of disordered proteins with interactions based on the sticker-and-spacer suggest fascinating structures in the bulk and surface of condensates. We reveal the structure of biomolecular condensates using small-angle X-ray scattering. We show that condensates made from a simple model system of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) behave like a classical liquid. We extend our approach to the structure of condensates made of disordered proteins such as fused in sarcoma (FUS) and we find that FUS inside condensates structurally behaves like a gas. Our approach is applicable to a variety of different condensates and shows that diverse condensates have diverse structures.
Keywords: biomolecular condensate; membraneless organelle; small-angle X-ray scattering; protein structure; phase separation