Cells often create tiny liquid droplets—called coacervates—to gather and sort molecules without membranes. These structures help organise biochemical reactions in living cells, but understanding how they form and function has remained a challenge.
Researchers from the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), with Jessica Lim as co–first author and Associate Professor Konstantin Pervushin and Professor Ali Miserez as corresponding authors, have built bioinspired peptide-based droplets that mimic this natural process. Their study investigates how the internal structure of these droplets changes—from large clusters down to near-atomic detail—revealing the principles that govern their organisation.
Using a combination of advanced NMR, neutron scattering, and confocal microscopy, the team observed the droplets in their natural, hydrated state. They discovered that simple peptides first assemble into small groups under acidic conditions, and at neutral pH, these clusters join into larger networks that form a porous structure, which behaves like a molecular sieve, allowing selective capture of molecules based on size.
These findings show how fast, dynamic interactions between specific peptide building blocks drive droplet formation and function. The study provides new insights that could guide the design of soft materials inspired by nature and help explain how cells organise chemistry without membranes.
Congratulations to Assoc. Prof. Konstantin Pervushin, Jessica Lim, and Prof. Ali Miserez, and the SBS team for this innovative discovery that brings us closer to understanding how life’s earliest compartments may have worked.
Read the full paper here.