SKM 2021 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 4: Posters Biological Physics

BP 4.7: Poster

Thursday, September 30, 2021, 11:15–12:15, P

Effect of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Pol II on gene regulation — •Arya Changiarath Sivadasan and Lukas Stelzl — Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz

Liquid Liquid phase separation(LLPS) plays an important role in the regulation of cellular processes. In particular, LLPS underpins the formation of localized nuclear hubs of RNAP II during the transcription of genes. Recent experimental studies revealed that the disordered Carboxy terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNAP II, has a very strong tendency to phase separate. In our research, we are trying to understand the molecular basis of phase separation of RNAP II using multiscale molecular dynamic simulations. Our initial preliminary studies show the effects of temperature on CTD phase behavior and the influence of polymer length on critical temperature of phase separation. The results show that critical temperature increases with polymer length as expected. As a next step, we are interested in studying the phase separation of phosphorylated RNAP II and the effect of noise in the biochemical signaling on phase behavior. Moreover, we are also keen to understand the phase separation of a complex mixture of biomolecules such as CTD and RNA binding protein FUS. This would give insights into how the LLPS of CTD and other biomolecules regulates the transcription process in cells and will enable us to elucidate how the regulation of genes by LLPS is affected by noise.