Membrane-associated phase separation:organization and function emerge from a two-dimensional milieu

• 作者: Jonathon A.Ditlev
• 来源期刊: 分子细胞生物学报（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（4）
• 所属期刊栏目: Perspectives
• 页码范围: 319-324
• 页数: 6页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjab010

摘要

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)of biomolecules has emerged as an im-portant mechanism that contributes to cellular organization.Phase-separated biomolecular condensates,or membrane-less organelles,are compartments composed of specific biomolecules without a surrounding membrane in the nucleus and cytoplasm.LLPS also occurs at membranes,where both lipids and membrane-associated proteins can de-mix to form phase-separated compart-ments.Investigation of these membrane-associated condensates using in vitro bio-chemical reconstitution and cell biology has provided key insights into the role of phase separation in membrane domain formation and function.However,these studies have generally been limited by available technology to study LLPS on model membranes and the complex cellu-lar environment that regulates condensate formation,composition,and function.Here,I briefly review our current under-standing of membrane-associated con-densates,establish why LLPS can be advantageous for certain membrane-associated condensates,and offer a per-spective for how these condensates may be studied in the future.