Rapid RNA Exchange in Aqueous Two-Phase System and Coacervate Droplets |
| |
Authors: | Tony Z Jia Christian Hentrich Jack W Szostak |
| |
Institution: | 1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA 2. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
|
| |
Abstract: | Compartmentalization in a prebiotic setting is an important aspect of early cell formation and is crucial for the development of an artificial protocell system that effectively couples genotype and phenotype. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) and complex coacervates are phase separation phenomena that lead to the selective partitioning of biomolecules and have recently been proposed as membrane-free protocell models. We show in this study through fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) microscopy that despite the ability of such systems to effectively concentrate RNA, there is a high rate of RNA exchange between phases in dextran/polyethylene glycol ATPS and ATP/poly-L-lysine coacervate droplets. In contrast to fatty acid vesicles, these systems would not allow effective segregation and consequent evolution of RNA, thus rendering these systems ineffective as model protocells. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|