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Challenge: It's not just whether a membrane is in a "solid" or "liquid" state that matters—how tightly its molecules are packed also influences how protein-rich droplets (condensates) stick to it Finding: More tightly packed membranes push away condensates, while loosely packed ones attract them Impact: Understanding these interactions is key to grasping essential cellular functions and disease progression
Scientists can now predict structural colors in bacteria. By sequencing a wide range of bacterial DNA and developing an accurate predictive model, reseachers uncovered how bacteria organize themselves into specific patterns within colonies to interfere with light and create iridescence.Their findings hold great promise for sustainable, pigment-free color production.
Biomolecular condensates may play a crucial but overlooked role in remodeling membrane structures within cells. Rumiana Dimova and her team demonstrated that these droplets can shape parts of the endoplasmic reticulum into nanotubes and double-membrane discs without the need for specific curvature-molding proteins.
Imagine switching on a light and being able to understand and control the inner dynamics of a cell. This is what the Dimova group has achieved: by shining lights of different colors on replicates of cells, they altered the interactions between cellular elements. Controlling these complex interactions enables us to deliver specific drugs directly into the cells.
Little is known yet about the interaction between these biomolecular condensate droplets and the membrane-bound organelles. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam developed synthetic membraneless organelles and visualized what happens when they meet a membrane.
Prof Silvia Vignolini, Ph.D. is establishing the new Department "Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials". She is working at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology and materials science and perfectly complements the institute's profile of research on chemistry, materials and sustainability.