Robust microphase separation through chemical reaction networks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Blanchini, Franco, Franco, Elisa, Giordano, Giulia, Osmanovic, Dino
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Blanchini, Franco
Franco, Elisa
Giordano, Giulia
Osmanovic, Dino
author_facet Blanchini, Franco
Franco, Elisa
Giordano, Giulia
Osmanovic, Dino
contents The interaction of phase-separating systems with chemical reactions is of great interest in various contexts, from biology to material science. In biology, phase separation is thought to be the driving force behind the formation of biomolecular condensates, i.e. organelles without a membrane that are associated with cellular metabolism, stress response, and development. RNA, proteins, and small molecules participating in the formation of condensates are also involved in a variety of biochemical reactions: how do the chemical reaction dynamics influence the process of phase separation? Here we are interested in finding chemical reactions that can arrest the growth of condensates, generating stable spatial patterns of finite size (microphase separation), in contrast with the otherwise spontaneous (unstable) growth of condensates. We consider a classical continuum model for phase separation coupled to a chemical reaction network (CRN), and we seek conditions for the emergence of stable oscillations of the solution in space. Given reaction dynamics with uncertain rate constants, but known structure, we derive easily computable conditions to assess whether microphase separation is impossible, possible for some parameter values, or robustly guaranteed for all parameter values within given bounds. Our results establish a framework to evaluate which classes of CRNs favor the emergence of condensates with finite size, a question that is broadly relevant to understanding and engineering life.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2303_11723
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Robust microphase separation through chemical reaction networks
Blanchini, Franco
Franco, Elisa
Giordano, Giulia
Osmanovic, Dino
Soft Condensed Matter
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Molecular Networks
The interaction of phase-separating systems with chemical reactions is of great interest in various contexts, from biology to material science. In biology, phase separation is thought to be the driving force behind the formation of biomolecular condensates, i.e. organelles without a membrane that are associated with cellular metabolism, stress response, and development. RNA, proteins, and small molecules participating in the formation of condensates are also involved in a variety of biochemical reactions: how do the chemical reaction dynamics influence the process of phase separation? Here we are interested in finding chemical reactions that can arrest the growth of condensates, generating stable spatial patterns of finite size (microphase separation), in contrast with the otherwise spontaneous (unstable) growth of condensates. We consider a classical continuum model for phase separation coupled to a chemical reaction network (CRN), and we seek conditions for the emergence of stable oscillations of the solution in space. Given reaction dynamics with uncertain rate constants, but known structure, we derive easily computable conditions to assess whether microphase separation is impossible, possible for some parameter values, or robustly guaranteed for all parameter values within given bounds. Our results establish a framework to evaluate which classes of CRNs favor the emergence of condensates with finite size, a question that is broadly relevant to understanding and engineering life.
title Robust microphase separation through chemical reaction networks
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Molecular Networks
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.11723