title: Rapid RNA exchange in aqueous two-phase system and coacervate droplets.
abstract: Compartmentalization in a prebiotic setting is an important aspect of early cell formation and is crucial for the development of an artificial protocell system that effectively couples genotype and phenotype. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) and complex coacervates are phase separation phenomena that lead to the selective partitioning of biomolecules and have recently been proposed as membrane-free protocell models. We show in this study through fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) microscopy that despite the ability of such systems to effectively concentrate RNA, there is a high rate of RNA exchange between phases in dextran/polyethylene glycol ATPS and ATP/poly-L-lysine coacervate droplets. In contrast to fatty acid vesicles, these systems would not allow effective segregation and consequent evolution of RNA, thus rendering these systems ineffective as model protocells.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Tony Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hentrich
authors.forename: Jack W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Szostak
mesh_terms: D058045:Artificial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D000069497:Origin of Life; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA