The scaffolding protein Oskar organizes two types of germ granules by phase transition within the same cell but with distinct morphologies, composition and biological functions.
Quantitative single molecule and super resolution imaging in mammalian cells reveal a population of precursor aggregates describable by first order phase transition theory.
Two neuropeptides, NPF1a and NPF2, act via the nitric oxide signaling pathway in the locust brain to regulate the trait transition between solitary and swarming behavior.
A new and general mechanism describes the organization of membrane proteins and their cytoplasmic ligands into micrometer-scale clusters, based on polymerization and concomitant phase separation of multivalent proteins.
Computational modeling and theoretical analysis reveal how disordered linkers determine whether linear multivalent proteins undergo gelation with or without phase separation.
Temperature and ionic conditions control the mechanical properties of virally encapsidated DNA and act as a switch between synchronized and desynchronized genome ejection dynamics in a phage population.
Formation of a phase-separated interface between homologous chromosomes during meiosis enables regulatory signals to spread in cis over long distances, illuminating the longstanding mystery of crossover interference.