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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.06134 |
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| _version_ | 1866913451851382784 |
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| author | Hegde, Omkar Li, Tianhao Sharma, Anjali Borja, Marco Jacobs, William M. Rogers, W. Benjamin |
| author_facet | Hegde, Omkar Li, Tianhao Sharma, Anjali Borja, Marco Jacobs, William M. Rogers, W. Benjamin |
| contents | In many biopolymer solutions, attractive interactions that stabilize finite-sized clusters at low concentrations also promote phase separation at high concentrations. Here we study a model biopolymer system that exhibits the opposite behavior: Self-assembly of DNA oligonucleotides into finite-sized, stoichiometric clusters, known as "DNA nanostars", tends to inhibit phase separation of the oligonucleotides at high temperatures. We use microfluidics-based experiments to map the phase behavior of DNA nanostars at high concentrations of divalent cations, revealing a novel phase transition in which the oligonucleotides condense upon increasing temperature. We then show that a theoretical model of competition between self-assembly and phase separation quantitatively predicts changes in experimental phase diagrams arising from DNA sequence perturbations. Our results point to a general mechanism by which self-assembly shapes phase boundaries in complex biopolymer solutions. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2301_06134 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Competition between self-assembly and phase separation governs high-temperature condensation of a DNA liquid Hegde, Omkar Li, Tianhao Sharma, Anjali Borja, Marco Jacobs, William M. Rogers, W. Benjamin Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics In many biopolymer solutions, attractive interactions that stabilize finite-sized clusters at low concentrations also promote phase separation at high concentrations. Here we study a model biopolymer system that exhibits the opposite behavior: Self-assembly of DNA oligonucleotides into finite-sized, stoichiometric clusters, known as "DNA nanostars", tends to inhibit phase separation of the oligonucleotides at high temperatures. We use microfluidics-based experiments to map the phase behavior of DNA nanostars at high concentrations of divalent cations, revealing a novel phase transition in which the oligonucleotides condense upon increasing temperature. We then show that a theoretical model of competition between self-assembly and phase separation quantitatively predicts changes in experimental phase diagrams arising from DNA sequence perturbations. Our results point to a general mechanism by which self-assembly shapes phase boundaries in complex biopolymer solutions. |
| title | Competition between self-assembly and phase separation governs high-temperature condensation of a DNA liquid |
| topic | Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.06134 |