RNA-Driven Phase-Separated Biocondensate Formation

Non-membrane compartments formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) are of particular interest because they can concentrate biomolecules and metabolites without the need for complex membranes. Extracellular LLPS are protein-centered, while intracellular condensates typically involve RNA molecules. Protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions drive the assembly of condensates, and some proteins, particularly those with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), can form droplets without RNA. Importantly, RNA-only interactions can also drive the formation of condensates. The presence of RNA affects the formation, solubility, and The presence of RNA affects the formation, solubility, and biophysical properties of biomolecular condensates formed by LLPS in a manner that is dependent on RNA length, sequence, structure, modification, and RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions.

Fig. 1. Schematic model for biomolecular condensates in the life cycle of RNAs. (Lin Y, et al., 2021)

Customized Services

RNA is one of the key players in LLPS. Our team of experts is dedicated to studying the molecular, thermodynamic and kinetic forces that RNA provides for liquid-liquid phase separation. We can easily observe the topology of RNA-protein condensates from experiments and simulations, and by systematically analyzing the phase behavior of RNA-protein complexes in different mixed components.

Here, CD BioSciences provides you with comprehensive strategies to analyze how RNA drives the formation of phase-separated biomolecular condensates.

• Identification of RNA Secondary Structure
  We measure the strength of RNA-RNA interactions by measuring the base pairing between CUCU and GGAGAA. In addition, we can generate 100 random 50mers and use a leading secondary structure prediction program to predict the secondary structure and folding free energy of RNA, thus reflecting the pairing propensity of RNA.
• Analysis of RNA Concentration
  RNA concentrations in the nucleus tend to be very high, while RNA concentrations in the cytoplasm are relatively low. We can analyze the effect of RNA concentration on phase separation, such as the abnormal phase separation behavior of fusion sarcoma (FUS) in the cytoplasm.
• Assessing the Propensity of RNA to Phase Segregate
  RNA tends to multiplex through secondary and tertiary structural interactions. We provide experimental and RNA design packages to assess the propensity of RNA to phase segregate, and to explore the tendency of RNAs to form stable monomers, dimers, and higher-order structures as a function of RNA length and sequence.
• Analysis of Different RNAs
  We can help you analyze the multivalent sites that long-stranded non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) provide to drive the onset of phase segregation, including parapecies assembly, X chromosome inactivation (XCI) assembly, DNA damage repair, and endodermal gene transcriptional regulation. In addition, we can analyze the effect of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-rich modified RNAs and their binding proteins on phase segregation.

By focusing on the intrinsic thermodynamic, kinetic and structural properties of RNA, we provide an important context for understanding and studying the behaviors of different biomolecular condensates. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.