The
HIV-1
capsid
has
emerged
as
a
tractable
target
for
antiretroviral
therapy.
Lenacapavir,
developed
by
Gilead
Sciences,
is
the
first
capsid-targeting
drug
approved
medical
use.
Here,
we
investigate
effect
of
lenacapavir
on
HIV
stability
and
uncoating.
We
employ
single
particle
approach
that
simultaneously
measures
content
release
lattice
persistence.
demonstrate
lenacapavir's
potent
antiviral
activity
predominantly
due
to
lethal
hyperstabilisation
resultant
loss
compartmentalisation.
This
study
highlights
disrupting
metastability
powerful
strategy
development
novel
antivirals.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
118(44)
Published: Oct. 29, 2021
Significance
Cells
may
compartmentalize
proteins
via
a
demixing
process
known
as
liquid–liquid
phase
separation
(LLPS),
which
is
often
driven
by
intrinsically
disordered
(IDPs)
and
regions.
Protein
condensates
arising
from
LLPS
develop
into
insoluble
protein
aggregates,
in
neurodegenerative
diseases
cancer.
Understanding
the
of
formation,
dissolution,
aging
requires
models
that
accurately
capture
underpinning
interactions
at
residue
level.
In
this
work,
we
leverage
data
biophysical
experiments
on
IDPs
dilute
solution
to
sequence-dependent
model
predicts
conformational
behavior
diverse
unrelated
sequences
with
good
accuracy.
Using
model,
gain
insight
coupling
between
chain
compaction
propensity.
Chemical Reviews,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
123(14), P. 8945 - 8987
Published: March 7, 2023
Multivalent
proteins
and
nucleic
acids,
collectively
referred
to
as
multivalent
associative
biomacromolecules,
provide
the
driving
forces
for
formation
compositional
regulation
of
biomolecular
condensates.
Here,
we
review
key
concepts
phase
transitions
aqueous
solutions
specifically
that
include
folded
domains
intrinsically
disordered
regions.
The
these
systems
come
under
rubric
coupled
segregative
transitions.
underlying
processes
are
presented,
their
relevance
condensates
is
discussed.
Emerging Topics in Life Sciences,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
4(3), P. 307 - 329
Published: Oct. 20, 2020
Intrinsically
disordered
protein
regions
(IDRs)
—
that
do
not
fold
into
a
fixed
three-dimensional
structure
but
instead
exist
in
heterogeneous
ensemble
of
conformations
have
recently
entered
mainstream
cell
biology
the
context
liquid–liquid
phase
separation
(LLPS).
IDRs
are
frequently
found
to
be
enriched
phase-separated
compartments.
Due
this
observation,
presence
an
IDR
is
assumed
diagnostic
its
ability
separate.
In
review,
we
clarify
role
biological
assembly
and
explore
physical
principles
through
which
amino
acids
can
confer
attractive
molecular
interactions
underlie
separation.
While
some
will
robustly
drive
separation,
many
others
not.
We
emphasize
rather
than
‘disorder'
driving
multivalency
drives
As
such,
whether
or
region
capable
depend
on
chemistry
encoded
within
acid
sequence.
Consequently,
in-depth
understanding
prerequisite
make
informed
inferences
how
why
may
involved
or,
more
generally,
protein-mediated
intermolecular
interactions.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
12(1)
Published: Feb. 8, 2021
Multivalent
protein-protein
and
protein-RNA
interactions
are
the
drivers
of
biological
phase
separation.
Biomolecular
condensates
typically
contain
a
dense
network
multiple
proteins
RNAs,
their
competing
molecular
play
key
roles
in
regulating
condensate
composition
structure.
Employing
ternary
system
comprising
prion-like
polypeptide
(PLP),
arginine-rich
(RRP),
RNA,
we
show
that
competition
between
PLP
RNA
for
single
shared
partner,
RRP,
leads
to
RNA-induced
demixing
PLP-RRP
into
stable
coexisting
phases-homotypic
heterotypic
RRP-RNA
condensates.
The
morphology
these
biphasic
(non-engulfing/
partial
engulfing/
complete
engulfing)
is
determined
by
RNA-to-RRP
stoichiometry
hierarchy
intermolecular
interactions,
providing
glimpse
broad
range
multiphasic
patterns
accessible
Our
findings
provide
minimal
set
physical
rules
govern
spatial
organization
multicomponent
biomolecular
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
119(28)
Published: July 5, 2022
Macromolecular
phase
separation
is
thought
to
be
one
of
the
processes
that
drives
formation
membraneless
biomolecular
condensates
in
cells.
The
dynamics
are
follow
tenets
classical
nucleation
theory,
and,
therefore,
subsaturated
solutions
should
devoid
clusters
with
more
than
a
few
molecules.
We
tested
this
prediction
using
vitro
biophysical
studies
characterize
phase-separating
RNA-binding
proteins
intrinsically
disordered
prion-like
domains
and
domains.
Surprisingly,
direct
contradiction
expectations
from
we
find
characterized
by
presence
heterogeneous
distributions
clusters.
cluster
sizes,
which
dominated
small
species,
shift
continuously
toward
larger
sizes
as
protein
concentrations
increase
approach
saturation
concentration.
As
result,
many
encompass
tens
hundreds
molecules,
while
less
1%
mesoscale
species
several
hundred
nanometers
diameter.
supersaturated
strongly
coupled
via
sequence-encoded
interactions.
also
can
decoupled
solutes
well
specific
sets
mutations.
Our
findings,
concordant
predictions
for
associative
polymers,
implicate
an
interplay
between
networks
sequence-specific
solubility-determining
interactions
that,
respectively,
govern
above
occurs.
Nuclear
speckles
(NS)
are
among
the
most
prominent
biomolecular
condensates.
Despite
their
prevalence,
research
on
function
of
NS
is
virtually
restricted
to
colocalization
analyses,
since
an
organizing
core,
without
which
cannot
form,
remains
unidentified.
The
monoclonal
antibody
SC35,
raised
against
a
spliceosomal
extract,
frequently
used
mark
NS.
Unexpectedly,
we
found
that
this
was
mischaracterized
and
main
target
SC35
mAb
SRRM2,
spliceosome-associated
protein
sharply
localizes
Here
show
that,
core
likely
formed
by
SON
depletion
leads
only
partial
disassembly
NS,
while
co-depletion
SRRM2
or
in
cell-line
where
intrinsically
disordered
regions
(IDRs)
genetically
deleted,
near-complete
dissolution
This
work,
therefore,
paves
way
study
role
under
diverse
physiological
stress
conditions.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
12(1)
Published: Nov. 16, 2021
Abstract
Liquid-liquid
phase
separation
of
multivalent
proteins
and
RNAs
drives
the
formation
biomolecular
condensates
that
facilitate
membrane-free
compartmentalization
subcellular
processes.
With
recent
advances,
it
is
becoming
increasingly
clear
are
network
fluids
with
time-dependent
material
properties.
Here,
employing
microrheology
optical
tweezers,
we
reveal
molecular
determinants
govern
viscoelastic
behavior
formed
by
Arg/Gly-rich
sticker-spacer
polypeptides
RNA.
These
behave
as
Maxwell
an
elastically-dominant
rheological
response
at
shorter
timescales
a
liquid-like
longer
timescales.
The
viscous
elastic
regimes
these
can
be
tuned
polypeptide
RNA
sequences
well
their
mixture
compositions.
Our
results
establish
quantitative
link
between
sequence-
structure-encoded
interactions
microscopic
scale
properties
resulting
mesoscale,
enabling
route
to
systematically
probe
rationally
engineer
programmable
mechanics.