Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition
Biomolecules forming membraneless structures via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a common event in living cells. Some liquid-like condensates can convert into solid-like aggregations, and such a phase transition process is related to some neurodegenerative diseases. Liquid-like condensates...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.3724/abbs.2023028 |
| _version_ | 1797635904195526656 |
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| author | Ji Jinyao Wang Wenjuan Chen Chunlai |
| author_facet | Ji Jinyao Wang Wenjuan Chen Chunlai |
| author_sort | Ji Jinyao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biomolecules forming membraneless structures via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a common event in living cells. Some liquid-like condensates can convert into solid-like aggregations, and such a phase transition process is related to some neurodegenerative diseases. Liquid-like condensates and solid-like aggregations usually exhibit distinctive fluidity and are commonly distinguished via their morphology and dynamic properties identified through ensemble methods. Emerging single-molecule techniques are a group of highly sensitive techniques, which can offer further mechanistic insights into LLPS and phase transition at the molecular level. Here, we summarize the working principles of several commonly used single-molecule techniques and demonstrate their unique power in manipulating LLPS, examining mechanical properties at the nanoscale, and monitoring dynamic and thermodynamic properties at the molecular level. Thus, single-molecule techniques are unique tools to characterize LLPS and liquid-to-solid phase transition under close-to-physiological conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:26:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-76be37c0c4dd475a990b9001812be44c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1672-9145 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:26:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | China Science Publishing & Media Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica |
| spelling | doaj.art-76be37c0c4dd475a990b9001812be44c2023-11-06T08:35:25ZengChina Science Publishing & Media Ltd.Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica1672-91452023-03-01551023103310.3724/abbs.202302820d259ccSingle-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transitionJi Jinyao0Wang Wenjuan1Chen Chunlai2["School of Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center of Biological Structure, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China"]["School of Life Sciences, Technology Center for Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China"]["School of Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center of Biological Structure, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China"]Biomolecules forming membraneless structures via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a common event in living cells. Some liquid-like condensates can convert into solid-like aggregations, and such a phase transition process is related to some neurodegenerative diseases. Liquid-like condensates and solid-like aggregations usually exhibit distinctive fluidity and are commonly distinguished via their morphology and dynamic properties identified through ensemble methods. Emerging single-molecule techniques are a group of highly sensitive techniques, which can offer further mechanistic insights into LLPS and phase transition at the molecular level. Here, we summarize the working principles of several commonly used single-molecule techniques and demonstrate their unique power in manipulating LLPS, examining mechanical properties at the nanoscale, and monitoring dynamic and thermodynamic properties at the molecular level. Thus, single-molecule techniques are unique tools to characterize LLPS and liquid-to-solid phase transition under close-to-physiological conditions.https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.3724/abbs.2023028LLPSphase transitionsingle-molecule techniques |
| spellingShingle | Ji Jinyao Wang Wenjuan Chen Chunlai Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica LLPS phase transition single-molecule techniques |
| title | Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| title_full | Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| title_fullStr | Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| title_short | Single-molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| title_sort | single molecule techniques to visualize and to characterize liquid liquid phase separation and phase transition |
| topic | LLPS phase transition single-molecule techniques |
| url | https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.3724/abbs.2023028 |
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