SKM 2023 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 29: Statistical Physics of Biological Systems II (joint session BP/DY)
BP 29.1: Talk
Friday, March 31, 2023, 09:30–09:45, BAR Schö
Evolutionary optimization of multicomponent phase separation — •David Zwicker1 and Liedewij Laan2 — 1MPI-DS, Göttingen, Germany — 2TU Delft, The Netherlands
Biological cells use passive phase separation to segregate different biomolecules into various condensates. Since the molecular interactions determine the number of distinct condensates and their composition, they have likely been optimized evolutionarily for robust segregation. To study this, I will present a numerical method that efficiently determines coexisting phases in multicomponent liquids and use it in evolutionary optimization experiments. I will demonstrate that the optimized interactions lead to a precise number of different condensates, even if the overall composition varies. Consequently, adjusting microscopic interactions leads to stable emergent behaviors in these complex systems.