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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 10: Evolution and Origin of Life
BP 10.8: Talk
Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 11:45–12:00, BAR 0106
Sequence distributions in coexisting phases — •Ivar Svalheim Haugerud1, Giacomo Bartolucci2, and Christoph A. Weber1 — 1University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany — 2Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
Phase separation, sequence, and length distributions of heteropolymers such as RNA and DNA are essential in regulating functions and spatial organization in living cells and at the molecular origin of life. Here, we theoretically investigate the interplay between phase separation, polymer sequence, and length at non-dilute conditions. To this end, we developed a thermodynamic description for the reversible polymerization of different monomeric units. In the model, polymers can grow, shrink and phase separate from each other and the solvent. We show that growth in length facilitates phase separation already at low concentrations. Our key finding is that the distribution of sequences is entirely different in each phase. These results suggest that condensed phases can act as hubs for functionalities that rely on the sequence-specificity of RNA or DNA.