Do Cellular Condensates Accelerate Biochemical Reactions? Lessons from Microdroplet Chemistry

Wylie Stroberg; Santiago Schnell

doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2018.05.023

Do Cellular Condensates Accelerate Biochemical Reactions? Lessons from Microdroplet Chemistry

Biophys J. 2018 Jul 3;115(1):3-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.05.023.

Authors

Wylie Stroberg¹, Santiago Schnell²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
² Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Brehm Center for Diabetes Research, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Electronic address: schnells@umich.edu.

Abstract

Cellular condensates-phase-separated concentrates of proteins and nucleic acids-provide organizational structure for biochemistry that is distinct from membrane-bound compartments. It has been suggested that one major function of cellular condensates is to accelerate biochemical processes that are normally slow or thermodynamically unfavorable. Yet, the mechanisms leading to increased reaction rates within cellular condensates remain poorly understood. In this article, we highlight recent advances in microdroplet chemistry that accelerate reaction rates by many orders of magnitude as compared to bulk and suggest that similar mechanisms may also affect reaction kinetics in cellular condensates.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Cells / chemistry*
Cells / metabolism*
Kinetics
Microtechnology*

Grants and funding

K12 GM111725/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States