Biological cells are highly organized with numerous subcellular compartments, many of which lack membranous boundaries. These membraneless organelles form by liquid-liquid phase separation, which is a common phenomenon in aqueous solutions of macromolecules. Solutes such as ions, small molecules, and biopolymers can become compartmentalized by partitioning between the phases. We are studying mechanisms for, and consequences of, this type of compartmentalization using a variety of simple model systems composed of phase-separating aqueous polyelectrolyte solutions. Through these types of studies, we hope to uncover underlying physiochemical mechanisms in cellular organization and to identify new avenues for biomimetic systems for applications in biotechnology and materials science. For example, RNA can be accumulated within polymer-rich aqueous droplets, enhancing ribozyme reaction rates. Distinct physicochemical properties of adjacent phases within multiphase droplets can enable nucleic acid sorting, such as accumulating single-stranded versus double-stranded RNAs in different phases, and can impact binding thermodynamics. Bioinspired compartmentalization by aqueous phase coexistence is of interest for understanding biological cells, their prebiotic ancestors, and their artificial analogues, and more generally for bioreactors.

Liquid-liquid phase coexistence in polyelectrolyte solutions: Experimental model systems for biomolecular compartmentalization

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