Biomolecular Condensates as Emerging Biomaterials: Functional Mechanisms and Advances in Computational and Experimental Approaches

Abstract

Abstract Biomolecular condensates, a ubiquitous class of biomaterials found in living cells, have been shown to be responsible for key physiological processes, such as gene regulation, signal transduction, and stress response. Since their discovery, extensive efforts have been devoted to this field to better understand the underlying mechanisms using both computational and experimental techniques. While great progress has been achieved, the key challenges still exist. With advancements in computational power and methods and improvements in experimental precision, the gap between computation and experimentation is gradually narrowing. By integrating these approaches, researchers can elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing biomolecular condensates. This review summarizes the recent progress in utilizing computational and experimental techniques to study biomolecular condensates. Detailed discussions are provided on the key advantages and limitations of each technique, along with their successful applications to specific systems. Moreover, further discussions are focused on the possibility of utilizing biomolecular condensates as a versatile platform for drug delivery and novel bioreactor design with the help of these techniques. Finally, future directions are outlined for technique development to better understand the role of biomolecular condensates in health and disease and enable their applications as tunable biomaterials.