Dai Yifan, Chamberlayne Christian F, Messina Marco S, Chang Christopher J, Zare Richard N, You Lingchong, Chilkoti Ashutosh
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705.
Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305.
Chem. 2023 Jun 8;9(6):1594-1609. doi: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.04.001. Epub 2023 Apr 28.
Biomolecular condensates mediate diverse cellular processes. The density transition process of condensate formation results in selective partitioning of molecules, which define a distinct chemical environment within the condensates. However, the fundamental features of the chemical environment and the mechanisms by which such environment can contribute to condensate functions have not been revealed. Here, we report that an electric potential gradient, thereby an electric field, is established at the liquid-liquid interface between the condensate and the bulk environment due to the density transition of ions and molecules brought about by phase separation. We find that the interface of condensates can drive spontaneous redox reactions in vitro and in living cells. Our results uncover a fundamental physicochemical property of the interface of condensates and the mechanism by which the interface can modulate biochemical activities.
生物分子凝聚体介导多种细胞过程。凝聚体形成的密度转变过程导致分子的选择性分配，这在凝聚体内定义了一个独特的化学环境。然而，这种化学环境的基本特征以及该环境促进凝聚体功能的机制尚未被揭示。在此，我们报告由于相分离引起的离子和分子的密度转变，在凝聚体与本体环境之间的液 - 液界面处建立了一个电势梯度，从而形成了一个电场。我们发现凝聚体的界面能够在体外和活细胞中驱动自发的氧化还原反应。我们的结果揭示了凝聚体界面的一种基本物理化学性质以及该界面调节生化活性的机制。
