Biopolym. Cell. 2019; 35(3):185-185.
Chronicle and Information
Computer modeling of phase separation at PML nuclear bodies
1Henze R., 1Wenzel M., 1Dittrich P., 1Hemmerich P.
  1. Leibniz Institute on Aging
    Jena, Germany

Abstract

The biophysical mechanism of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged as an attractive idea to explain the formation and function of membrane-less organelles, such as nuclear bodies. Our aim is to simulate the genesis of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) at the molecular level using computer models in order to gain insight on LLPS within PML-NBs. To this end, we have generated a computer model of PML-NB assembly which uncovers molecular details of their genesis and a spatial map of its LLPS-driving elements. Model predictions can be exploited to test new hypotheses of PML-NB structure in the wet lab in an iterative process. The established computer model may be expanded to other membrane-less organelles to reveal their structural details.