Glycation regulates phase separation by attenuating electrostatic interactions and increasing hydrophobic interactions

Abstract

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) was recently discovered to be a ubiquitous method of substance organization in living organisms, which plays an important regulatory role in various life processes and can also be closely associated with the development of many diseases. Glycation is one of the most important non-enzymatic post-translational modifications (PTMs), which accumulates in vivo gradually with life processes and affects the properties and functions of proteins. Here, we investigated the effect of glycation on LLPS and explored the molecular mechanisms behind it. We found that glycation reduces electrostatic interactions and increases hydrophobic interactions, and consequently affects LLPS.