RNAs and Phase Separation Phenomena

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Membrane-less condensates are dynamic cellular compartments that lack a surrounding lipid membrane. These structures arise through a process known as liquid–liquid phase separation, in which specific proteins and nucleic acids undergo a phase transition from a homogeneous solution into a dense, droplet-like condensate. This phase separation is driven by multivalent interactions between proteins and RNA, allowing for the reversible assembly of these compartments. Membrane-less condensates are involved in cellular compartmentalization, creating microenvironments that enrich specific molecules and facilitate biochemical reactions. These condensates regulate key cellular functions such as transcription, RNA processing, and signaling in a very dynamic way. Furthermore, condensates formed through aberrant phase transitions have been associated with numerous human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer. The role of RNAs in the formation, stability, and dynamics of macromolecular condensates and their functions in driving phase separations is a timely and relevant topic that deserves a closer look. This Topic will put together a collection of manuscripts containing original data, as well as technical reviews, on the functions of RNA molecules in the general phenomenon of phase separation, with special emphasis on their interactions with other cellular components and their roles as scaffolds of membrane-less condensates.

Dr. Ana Lúcia Leitão
Prof. Dr. Afshin Beheshti
Dr. Francisco J. Enguita
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biology biology	3.6	5.7	2012	16.1 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Biomolecules biomolecules	4.8	9.4	2011	16.3 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Cancers cancers	4.5	8.0	2009	16.3 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Cells cells	5.1	9.9	2012	17.5 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	4.9	8.1	2000	18.1 Days	CHF 2900	Submit

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Published Papers