Small molecules in regulating protein phase separation.

Biomolecular condensates formed by phase separation are involved in many cellular processes. Dysfunctional or abnormal condensates are closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and other diseases. Small molecules can effectively regulate protein phase separation by modulating the formation, dissociation, size and material properties of condensates. Discovery of small molecules to regulate protein phase separation provides chemical probes for deciphering the underlying mechanism and potential novel treatments for condensate-related diseases. Here we review the advances of small molecule regulation of phase separation. The discovery, chemical structures of recently found small molecule phase separation regulators and how they modulate biological condensates are summarized and discussed. Possible strategies to accelerate the discovery of more liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)-regulating small molecules are proposed.