Regensburg 2025 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 19: Membranes and Vesicles II
BP 19.11: Talk
Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 12:30–12:45, H46
Shaping Cellular Interfaces — •Susanne Liese1, Xueping Zhao2, Tiemei Lu3, Marcel Mokbel4, Sebastian Aland4, Evan Spruijt3, Frank Jülicher5, and Christoph Weber1 — 1Universität Augsburg — 2University of Nottingham Ningbo China — 3Radboud University, Nijmegen — 4TU Freiberg — 5Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems
The interaction between liquid droplet-like coacervates and biological membranes is central to cellular organization and drives essential processes including endocytosis, intracellular transport, and signaling. In our research, we uncover the complex dynamics underlying these interactions, demonstrating how non-equilibrium processes, chemical activity, and mechanical deformations dictate the behavior of droplet-membrane systems. We demonstrate that non-equilibrium binding of biomolecular condensates to membranes gives rise to rich physical phenomena, and we also reveal how membrane reshaping contributes to behaviors such as anomalous wetting and deformation-driven uptake. By integrating experiments, theoretical models, and computational simulations, our work provides new insights into the mesoscale physics of cellular systems and reveals the intricate interplay of chemical and mechanical forces at the droplet-membrane interface. This understanding advances both fundamental biology and potential applications in synthetic biology and intracellular delivery.
Keywords: membrane, coacervates, wetting