Macromolecular crowding: Sensing without a sensor

Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2023 Oct 26;85:102269. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102269. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAll living cells are crowded with macromolecules. Crowding can directly modulate biochemical reactions to various degrees depending on the sizes, shapes, and binding affinities of the reactants. Here, we explore the possibility that cells can sense and adapt to changes in crowding through the widespread modulation of biochemical reactions without the need for a dedicated sensor. Additionally, we explore phase separation as a general physicochemical response to changes in crowding, and a mechanism to both transduce information and physically restore crowding homeostasis.PMID:37897928 | DOI:10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102269

Source: Current Opinion in Cell Biology - October 28, 2023 Category: Cytology Authors: Liam J Holt Morgan Delarue Source Type: research