Nucleoprotein Phase-Separation Affinities Revealed via Atomistic Simulations of Short Peptide and RNA Fragments.

Liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins and nucleic acids into condensate phases is a versatile mechanism for ensuring the compartmentalization of cellular biochemistry. RNA molecules play critical roles in these condensates, particularly in transcriptional regulation and stress responses, exhibiting a wide range of thermodynamic and dynamic behaviors. However, deciphering the molecular grammar that governs the stability and dynamics of protein-RNA condensates remains challenging due to the multicomponent and heterogeneous nature of condensates.