Presentation Information
[8p-C214-1][The 24th Molecular Electronics and Bioelectronics Division Encouragement Award Speech] Regulation of liquid-liquid phase separation of bio-macromolecule with nanomaterial
〇Tomohiro Nobeyama1 (1.Kyoto Univ)
Keywords:
Nanomaterial,Liquid-liquid phase separation
Controlling reactive fields at the mesoscale is a central challenge spanning cell biology, soft matter physics, and materials science. In cells, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) has been recognized as a phenomenon in which biomolecular components form membrane-free condensates that function as dynamic reaction fields, where diffusion, local concentration, and reaction rates are spatially regulated. In this presentation, I will introduce a strategy for designing and controlling LLPS-derived reaction fields using butterfly-shaped gold nanoparticles, termed Gold Nano-butterflies (GNBs). GNBs are anisotropic gold nanoparticles with a butterfly-like morphology and are designed to capture droplet precursors between their wing-like structures, thereby stabilizing them and promoting their maturation into droplets. Furthermore, because GNBs can absorb near-infrared light and convert it into localized heat, they can also induce droplet melting. In the presentation, I will discuss recent progress in the GNB-mediated control of droplet formation and dissolution, as well as their potential application to the regulation of enzymatic activity and related processes.