Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42497855›Full record

ArticleMolecular cell2026

Biomolecular condensates can function as inherent catalysts.

Michael W Chen, Xiao Guo, Mina Farag, Naixin Qian, Xiaowei Song, Anton Ni, Vicky Liu, Yu Xia, Yuefeng Ma, Leshan Yang and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular cell, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Biomolecular Condensates can Induce Local Membrane Potentials.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024
    Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Michael W ChenDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Xiao GuoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Mina FaragDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Naixin QianDepartment of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Xiaowei SongDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Anton NiDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Vicky LiuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Yu XiaDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Yuefeng MaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Leshan YangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Wen YuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Matthew R KingDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Joonho LeeDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Richard N ZareDepartment of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Wei MinDepartment of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Rohit V PappuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. Electronic address: pappu@wustl.edu.
Yifan DaiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James F. McKelvey School of Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. Electronic address: dyifan@wustl.edu.

Funding

Super-multiplex optical imaging: development of novel spectroscopy and probes to illuminate complex biomedicineR35GM149256 · NIGMS · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · PI Wei Min · 2023 to 2026
$2.8M
Uncovering the molecular principles of intracellular electrochemistryR35GM162028 · NIGMS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Yifan Dai · 2026 to 2026
$411k
Uncovering mechanisms of rRNA flux through the nucleolusF32GM146418 · NIGMS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI KING, MATTHEW R · 2022 to 2024
$144k
NIGMS NIH HHS F32 GM146418NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM149256NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM162028
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Biomolecular condensates possess distinct solvent environments. This has been postulated to affect biochemical activities. Here, we report the discovery of inherent catalytic functions of condensates formed by intrinsically disordered proteins. The proteins themselves lack any catalytic activities. The catalytic functions of condensates emerge as a consequence of phase separation-dependent mesoscale electrochemical microenvironments. Condensates can mediate the hydrolysis of diverse types of biologically relevant substrates. Through sequence design that enriches selective residues at condensate interfaces, interfacial electrochemical properties, such as interfacial electric field and water activity, are shown to control catalytic behaviors. Synthetic condensates in live cells exhibit hydrolytic activity, reshaping transcription profiles and activating gene circuits that depend on hydrolytic products. Together, these findings support a model that biomolecular condensates function as "condenzymes," contributing emergent biochemical functions in cells.

Indexed as

Biomolecular CondensatesIntrinsically Disordered ProteinsCatalysisHydrolysisPhase SeparationWaterIntrinsically Disordered ProteinsWaterbiological waterbiomolecular condensatescondensate chemistrycondensate microenvironmentcondenzymeselectrochemistryinherent catalytic functioninterfacenon-enzymatic chemistryphase transition

Identifiers

PMID42497855
PMCPMC13492180

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.