Biochemical Analysis of Biomolecular Condensate Interactions

New characteristic membraneless compartments formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) have received much attention in recent years. These compartments are predominantly liquid-like, dynamic, and membraneless, and they have specific biological functions. To better understand the normal and pathological functions of biomolecular condensates, a clear understanding of the molecular interactions behind phase separation and how different biomolecules (proteins, nucleic acids) contribute to the phase separation process is needed. In most cases, the spontaneous formation of biomolecular condensates relies on multivalent interactions between biomolecules with disordered regions or multiple modal structural domains. Elucidating such interactions experimentally is challenging because of the heterogeneous structure of the components in biomolecular condensates.

Fig. 1. Schematic of a single-component droplet in phase coexistence with the surrounding aqueous environment. (Dignon G L, et al., 2020)

Customized Services

Weak, multivalent and transient interactions between biomolecules in condensates play an important role, especially in complex regulatory processes. Our experts are particularly interested in these weak but numerous interactions, using the properties of single chains to infer the characteristics of phase behavior from simple theories, simulations or experiments. We offer many physical and computer-based methods to simulate protein and RNA condensation that can provide detailed information about the driving forces behind phase separation.

Several methods are already available to detect biomolecular interactions, but few are suitable for high-throughput analysis, and many of them are subject to severe false-positive and/or false-negative results. Here, CD BioSciences offers high-throughput experimental assays to help customers identify and analyze biomolecular interactions in condensates.

• Condensate-Aided Enrichment of Biomolecular Interactions in Test Tube
  We offer compartmentalized enrichment of biomolecular interactions in test tubes assays to detect molecular interactions and activities in biomolecular condensates, including protein-protein and protein-DNA/RNA. Identifying these interactions is an attractive target for therapeutic applications of biomolecular condensates and can facilitate drug discovery against these targets.
• Compartmentalization of Protein-Protein Interactions in Cells
  Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in biomolecular condensates are important in many biological activities and diseases. To accurately understand their biological functions, direct, indirect and erroneous PPIs must be distinguished. We provide a compartmentalization of protein-protein interactions in cells based on phase separation to identify direct and indirect PPIs in cells, using recruitment as a readout.

Advantages of Our Services

• Experimental validation of molecular simulations of biomolecular interactions.
• Simple, sensitive, efficient and high-throughput analysis.
• Further high-throughput screening of PPI modulators in vitro and in vivo.
• Reliable and accurate results.

From an experimental point of view, we can comprehensively analyze specific and non-specific interactions during the formation of biomolecular condensates. Our services can accelerate your biomolecular cohesion projects in polymer chemistry, materials science, synthetic biology, origin of life, and aggregation pathology. If you have any special requirements for our services, please feel free to contact us. We are looking forward to working together with your attractive projects.