Phase separation processes are increasingly being recognized as important organizing mechanisms of biological macromolecules in cellular environments. Well established drivers of phase separation are multi-valency and intrinsic disorder. Here, we show that globular macromolecules may condense simply based on electrostatic complementarity. More specifically, phase separation of mixtures between RNA and positively charged proteins is described from a combination of multiscale computer simulations with microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. Phase diagrams were mapped out as a function of molecular concentrations in experiment and as a function of molecular size and temperature via simulations. The resulting condensates were found to retain at least some degree of internal dynamics varying as a function of the molecular composition. The results suggest a more general principle for phase separation that is based primarily on electrostatic complementarity without invoking polymer properties as in most previous studies. Simulation results furthermore suggest that such phase separation may occur widely in heterogenous cellular environment between nucleic acid and protein components.

Phase separation of globular RNA and positively charged proteins is reported from a combination of coarse-grained simulations parametrized based on atomistic simulations, theory informed by the coarse-grained simulations, and experimental validation via confocal microscopy and FRET spectroscopy. Phase separation is found to depend on concentration, size, and charge of the proteins, requiring a minimum protein size, minimum protein charge, and minimum protein concentration before condensates can form. The general principle for phase separation is based on electrostatic complementarity rather than invoking polymer character as in most previous studies. Simulation results furthermore suggest that such phase separation may occur in heterogenous cellular environment, not just between tRNA and cellular proteins but also between ribosomes and proteins where there may be competition for positively charged proteins. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCELiquid-liquid phase separation has been recognized as a key mechanism for forming membraneless organelles in cells. Commonly discussed mechanisms invoke a role of disordered peptides and specific multi-valent interactions. We report here phase separation of RNA and proteins based on a more universal principle of charge complementarity that does not require disorder or specific interactions. The findings are supported by coarse-grained simulations, theory, and experimental validation via microscopy and FRET spectroscopy. The implications of this work are that condensate formation may be an even more universal phenomenon in biological systems than thought to date.

No abstract