CONDENSATE-MEMBRANE INTERACTIONS: FROM THE NANO TO THE MICROSCALE

In addition to membrane-bound organelles, cells compartmentalize their interiors into membrane-less organelles, such as the nucleolus, Cajal bodies, P-bodies, and stress granules. These condensates are liquid-like droplets that arise from the phase separation of proteins and genetic material, playing a key role in several biological processes across different organisms. Furthermore, dysfunction in condensate assembly is linked to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
In recent years, the interaction between membranous organelles and biomolecular condensates has emerged as a key area of study, proving fundamental to processes like autophagy, T-cell signal transduction, viral assembly, and endomembrane repair. However, due to the small size and dynamic nature of condensates, the physical mechanisms driving these interactions are difficult to quantify in vivo and remain poorly understood. In this regard, in vitro reconstitution has become a vital tool for dissecting condensate material properties as well as their interactions with membranes.

In this talk, I will summarize some of our main findings on membrane-condensate interactions at different scales. While confocal and super-resolution microscopy enable the characterization of membrane-condensate mutual remodeling and their affinity, combining advanced microscopy with spectroscopy can be leveraged to resolve how molecular-level processes at the nanoscale relate to the emergent properties observed at the mesoscale in both membranes and condensates. Our findings not only unveil general biophysical principles of organelle interaction but also provide insight into biological processes linked to neurobiology and stress response. Ultimately, understanding how to modulate these interfaces holds significant potential for the development of novel therapeutics and the design of tunable, bio-inspired smart materials.