Design of Synthetic Biomolecular Condensates in Bacteria

Despite lacking many of the organelles possessed by eukaryotes, bacteria can localize important enzymes and signaling proteins to specific subcellular locations. One way in which bacteria accomplish this localization is through the formation of membrane-free organelles called biomolecular condensates. CD BioSciences offers a comprehensive biomolecular condensates analysis service in microbial cells containing polar organizing protein Z (PopZ), bacterial ribonucleoprotein bodies (BR-bodies), filamentous temperature-sensitive Z (FtsZ), etc. Like their eukaryotic counterparts, these bacterial condensates are thought to be formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and offer opportunities for engineering.

Fig. 1. Spatial engineering of E. coli with addressable phase-separated RNAs. (Guo H, et al., 2022)

Customized Services

Based on knowledge of natural biomolecular condensates, our experts excel in the design and engineering of synthetic mimics of bacterial biomolecular condensates. CD BioSciences provides comprehensive solutions for the design of synthetic biomolecular condensates in bacteria to design and manipulate these condensates to achieve desired function and spatial organization within bacterial cells.

Drawing inspiration from the proteins and RNAs that play a key role in the formation and organization of natural condensates in bacteria, we use a multidisciplinary approach that combines principles from molecular biology, protein engineering, and biophysics to create synthetic structures that replicate the behavior and function of biomolecular condensates. Our goal is to use the physical principles of polymer physics to engineer protein/RNA cohesive layers in E. coli to mimic endogenous biomolecular condensates.

• Protein Engineering and Electrostatics
  We use advanced protein engineering techniques to alter the overall charge and composition of proteins, thereby affecting their ability to form condensates. Our services provide detailed analysis and modeling of protein electrostatics, enabling precise control of condensate assembly and composition.
• Synthetic Scaffold Design
  Inspired by natural scaffold proteins, CD BioSciences is committed to developing modular scaffold designs to facilitate the localization and spatial organization of bacterial intracellular condensates. By carefully selecting and designing scaffold components, we are able to construct synthetic condensates with customized functionality in bacteria.
• Predictive Modeling and Computational Simulations
  We provide state-of-the-art computational tools and algorithms to simulate condensate formation, kinetics, and composition to improve the efficiency and accuracy of synthetic biomolecular condensate design. By combining experimental data with computational predictions, we can optimize the design parameters of synthetic condensates, accelerating the development of customized solutions for a variety of applications such as metabolic engineering, enzyme migration, and control of biochemical reactions.

The design of synthetic biomolecular condensates in bacteria represents an exciting frontier in synthetic biology and bioengineering. CD BioSciences offers comprehensive services for the engineering and manipulation of biomolecular condensates with its extensive expertise and cutting-edge services. If you have any special requirements for our services, please feel free to contact us.