Protein condensates as aging Maxwell fluids

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Louise Jawerth - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich - , Technology Platform BIOTEC, Clusters of Excellence PoL: Physics of Life (Author)
  • Suropriya Saha - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Jie Wang - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Titus Franzmann - , Technology Platform BIOTEC, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Xiaojie Zhang - , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (Author)
  • Jenny Sachweh - , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (Author)
  • Martine Ruer - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Mahdiye Ijavi - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Shambaditya Saha - , Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) (Author)
  • Julia Mahamid - , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (Author)
  • Anthony A Hyman - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Frank Jülicher - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)

Abstract

Protein condensates are complex fluids that can change their material properties with time. However, an appropriate rheological description of these fluids remains missing. We characterize the time-dependent material properties of in vitro protein condensates using laser tweezer-based active and microbead-based passive rheology. For different proteins, the condensates behave at all ages as viscoelastic Maxwell fluids. Their viscosity strongly increases with age while their elastic modulus varies weakly. No significant differences in structure were seen by electron microscopy at early and late ages. We conclude that protein condensates can be soft glassy materials that we call Maxwell glasses with age-dependent material properties. We discuss possible advantages of glassy behavior for modulation of cellular biochemistry.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1317-1323
Number of pages7
JournalScience
Volume370
Issue number6522
Publication statusPublished - 11 Dec 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85098001476
ORCID /0000-0002-2433-916X/work/142250431

Keywords

Keywords

  • Hardness, Proteins/chemistry, Solutions, Viscosity