Emergence of multiphase condensates from a limited set of chemical building blocks

Abstract: Biomolecules composed of a limited set of chemical building blocks can co-localize into distinct, spatially segregated compartments known as biomolecular condensates. While many condensates are known to form spontaneously via phase separation, it has been unclear how immiscible condensates with precisely controlled molecular compositions assemble from a small number of chemical building blocks. We address this question by establishing a connection between the specificity of biomolecular interactions and the thermodynamic stability of coexisting condensates. By computing the minimum interaction specificity required to assemble condensates with target molecular compositions, we show how to design heteropolymer mixtures that produce compositionally complex condensates using only a small number of monomer types. Our results provide insight into how compositional specificity arises in naturally occurring multicomponent condensates and demonstrate a rational algorithm for engineering complex artificial condensates from simple chemical building blocks.