Intrinsically Disordered Proteins: Phase Separation and Membrane Interactions

This lecture explores the behavior of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which are common in the human proteome. It covers the characteristics of IDPs, their role in disease, and their transformation into rigid fibrils. The lecture delves into the counter-intuitive problem of polymer phase separation in solutions with weakly hydrophobic polymers. It discusses the Flory-Huggins theory of polymer mixtures, phase transitions, and the entropic spring model. The lecture also examines the equivalence between Flory-Huggins theory and dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. Additionally, it investigates the formation of biomolecular condensates and membrane interactions, shedding light on the potential of IDPs to create membrane domains.