Mittal Group @ TAMU

(Part 2/2) Folded domains modulate structure by constraining IDR dynamics rather than participating in multivalent contacts. We also find a strong correlation between interactions in dilute and condensed phases, providing a tractable framework for studying PS in complex proteins.

(Part 1/2) Excited to share our work (pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...), led by PhD student Shuo-Lin Weng and postdoc Priyesh Mohanty. We used all-atom MD simulations to study the conformational dynamics and phase separation (PS) of full-length FUS protein.

(Part 2/2) The model uncovers how homotypic and heterotypic interactions shape condensate architecture and reveals how protein dynamics differ depending on whether they are DNA-bound, in the dense phase, or freely diffusing.

(Part 1/2) Excited to share our recent work (pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....) led by Ashish Shyam Tangade and Anupam Mondal. We developed a minimal coarse-grained model to simulate protein-DNA condensates.

Excited to share our recent work published in JACS Au (pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....) led by PhD student Jiahui Wang! We reveal how small molecule cosolutes modulate the morphology of multicomponent condensates by tuning the relative interaction strengths between components.

Excited to share our recent work (www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...) led by PhD student Busra Ozguney & postdoc Priyesh Mohanty! We reveal atomic-level insights into how GU-rich RNA binding modulates the conformational ensemble of TDP-43 RRMs, promoting function and preventing misfolding.

(2/2) Using homology modeling and multiscale simulations, we find that net charge and charge distribution affect LLPS, with input from both folded and disordered domains. DNA reshapes HP1 condensate stability by competing between paralogs, offering insights into chromatin organization.

(1/2) We’re excited to share our recent work (elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...) on HP1 phase separation, led by postdoc Tien Phan @tienphan.bsky.social ! We investigate LLPS differences among HP1 paralogs (HP1α, HP1β, HP1γ), key players in heterochromatin formation and gene regulation.

(2/2) We provide insight into the role of protein-mediated vs. water-mediated interactions in driving phase separation. Our calculations reveal a striking charge asymmetry: positively charged residues transfer favorably within condensates, while negatively charged ones do not.

(1/2) We are excited to announce that our paper, led by PhD student Shiv Rekhi, has been published in PNAS: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/....
In this work we compute the transfer free energies of amino acid side chains from the dilute to the dense phase.