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Active coacervate droplets as a model for membraneless organelles and protocells

Author

Listed:
  • Carsten Donau

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4)

  • Fabian Späth

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4)

  • Marilyne Sosson

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4)

  • Brigitte A. K. Kriebisch

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4)

  • Fabian Schnitter

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4)

  • Marta Tena-Solsona

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4
    Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 2a)

  • Hyun-Seo Kang

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4
    Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1)

  • Elia Salibi

    (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18)

  • Michael Sattler

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4
    Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1)

  • Hannes Mutschler

    (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18)

  • Job Boekhoven

    (Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4
    Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 2a)

Abstract

Membraneless organelles like stress granules are active liquid-liquid phase-separated droplets that are involved in many intracellular processes. Their active and dynamic behavior is often regulated by ATP-dependent reactions. However, how exactly membraneless organelles control their dynamic composition remains poorly understood. Herein, we present a model for membraneless organelles based on RNA-containing active coacervate droplets regulated by a fuel-driven reaction cycle. These droplets emerge when fuel is present, but decay without. Moreover, we find these droplets can transiently up-concentrate functional RNA which remains in its active folded state inside the droplets. Finally, we show that in their pathway towards decay, these droplets break apart in multiple droplet fragments. Emergence, decay, rapid exchange of building blocks, and functionality are all hallmarks of membrane-less organelles, and we believe that our work could be powerful as a model to study such organelles.

Suggested Citation

  • Carsten Donau & Fabian Späth & Marilyne Sosson & Brigitte A. K. Kriebisch & Fabian Schnitter & Marta Tena-Solsona & Hyun-Seo Kang & Elia Salibi & Michael Sattler & Hannes Mutschler & Job Boekhoven, 2020. "Active coacervate droplets as a model for membraneless organelles and protocells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18815-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18815-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Tommaso P. Fraccia & Nicolas Martin, 2023. "Non-enzymatic oligonucleotide ligation in coacervate protocells sustains compartment-content coupling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Shoupeng Cao & Tsvetomir Ivanov & Julian Heuer & Calum T. J. Ferguson & Katharina Landfester & Lucas Caire da Silva, 2024. "Dipeptide coacervates as artificial membraneless organelles for bioorthogonal catalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Andrea Testa & Mirco Dindo & Aleksander A. Rebane & Babak Nasouri & Robert W. Style & Ramin Golestanian & Eric R. Dufresne & Paola Laurino, 2021. "Sustained enzymatic activity and flow in crowded protein droplets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Songyang Liu & Yanwen Zhang & Xiaoxiao He & Mei Li & Jin Huang & Xiaohai Yang & Kemin Wang & Stephen Mann & Jianbo Liu, 2022. "Signal processing and generation of bioactive nitric oxide in a model prototissue," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Jiahua Wang & Manzar Abbas & Junyou Wang & Evan Spruijt, 2023. "Selective amide bond formation in redox-active coacervate protocells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Alexander M. Bergmann & Jonathan Bauermann & Giacomo Bartolucci & Carsten Donau & Michele Stasi & Anna-Lena Holtmannspötter & Frank Jülicher & Christoph A. Weber & Job Boekhoven, 2023. "Liquid spherical shells are a non-equilibrium steady state of active droplets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Avigail Baruch Leshem & Sian Sloan-Dennison & Tlalit Massarano & Shavit Ben-David & Duncan Graham & Karen Faulds & Hugo E. Gottlieb & Jordan H. Chill & Ayala Lampel, 2023. "Biomolecular condensates formed by designer minimalistic peptides," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Sihan Tang & Jiang Gong & Yunsong Shi & Shifeng Wen & Qiang Zhao, 2022. "Spontaneous water-on-water spreading of polyelectrolyte membranes inspired by skin formation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    9. Etienne Jambon-Puillet & Andrea Testa & Charlotta Lorenz & Robert W. Style & Aleksander A. Rebane & Eric R. Dufresne, 2024. "Phase-separated droplets swim to their dissolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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