proteins Archives

8 June 2026

Schematic illustrating the influence of pH on the LLPS behaviour of tick salivary glycine-rich protein. Copyright: The Authors. Published in Nandy et. al, Advanced Functional Materials (2025) by Wiley-VCH GmbH. This publication is licensed under CC-BY 4.0 .

8 June 2026

New Tricks from Ticks: How pH Shapes Biomolecular Condensates

Biomolecular condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of biopolymers are increasingly recognised as fundamental components in biological systems, not only for intracellular signaling and functions, but also for extracellular secretory fluids of... (Read more)

6 February 2025

Figure 1: Aspect ratio is a crucial network building block property, defining network formation, architecture, and mechanics in synthetic and living systems. (Left) Schematic representation of the aspect ratios (AR) of protein L polyprotein constructs and fibrin proto-fibers. (Middle) A schematic representation of the two dominated formation regimes: translation diffusion limited (TDL) where building blocks can only interact by translating their centre of mass; and rotationally diffusion limited (RDL) where building blocks are able to interact purely via rotation about their centre of mass. (Right) The fitted increase in mechanical rigidity as a function of aspect ratio with inserted schematics showing the change in structural topology as the system transitions from TDL to RDL formation above the critical aspect ratio, ARc. Copyright: Image partly published in Hughes M. D. G. et al., Nat. Commun. 14, 5593 (2023) under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

6 February 2025

Biology Exploits Geometry

Impact of Aspect Ratio on Protein Network Assembly: Scientists at SoftComp partner University of Leeds and STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK, have made an exciting discovery about the functional advantages of high aspect... (Read more)

5 February 2025

Fi. 1: Schematic illustrating the role of GRP phase transitions in the formation of the tick cement cone. Copyright: authors

5 February 2025

Tricks from Ticks

Phase separation and ageing of glycine-rich protein: A study has shed new light on the mysterious adhesive mechanisms of ticks. The research delves into the phase separation and ageing of glycine-rich protein from... (Read more)

9 January 2025

Figure: An optical microscopy image of lysozyme crystals in an electric field, with a view of 2x2 mm2. Courtesy of Dr. K. Kang, IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich.

9 January 2025

Electric Fields Shape Protein Crystal Formation

SoftComp partners from Forschungszentrum Jülich and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf have uncovered the profound effects of electric fields on protein phase behaviour and crystallization. Their research offers valuable insights into how external electric... (Read more)