Benjamin Schuster (Rutgers University): Protein Surfactants: Putting “Membranes” on Membrane-less Organelles

Title: Protein Surfactants: Putting “Membranes” on Membrane-less Organelles

Speaker: Benjamin Schuster, Rutgers University

Hosted by: Gregg Duncan

Abstract: 

Membrane-less organelles, also called biomolecular condensates, are assemblies of highly concentrated biomolecules that condense through liquid–liquid phase separation. One major question in the field is how proteins assemble into multilayered condensates. A second outstanding question is how the size of biomolecular condensates is controlled. Developing biophysical insight into these questions is important for understanding the function and regulation of multiphasic organelles, such as P granules and nucleoli. Recently, we generated amphiphilic proteins that localize to the surface of condensates. We observed diverse assemblies, including condensates enveloped by surfactant-like films, as well as complex multiphasic morphologies. In some configurations, these surfactant-like proteins influence condensate size. Our results suggest an important role of protein amphiphiles in establishing membrane-less organelle structure and function.