SNU Professor Yongdae Shin

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Develops Genome-restructuring Technology

Using Phase Separation Within Cells

 

 

- Published in the Lates Issue of International Journal Cell 

▲   Prof. Yongdae Shin, SNU Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

 

Seoul National University’s College of Engineering (Dean: Kookheon Char) announcted that the SNU-Princeton joint research team (Lead author: Prof. Yongdae Shin, SNU Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) developed a technology that enables restructuring of the genome using liquid condensates formed via phase separation in cells.

 

Phase separation can be observed in everyday life; the fact that water and oil do not mix is also a result of phase separation. Recent research has revealed that phase separation also occurs within cells and that liquid condensates are formed during the process.

 

These condensates, varying in size from 100 nanometers to a few micrometers, are formed after certain biomolecules are separated from other molecules. In his paper published in Cell in 2017, Professor Yongdae Shin showed that phase separation within cells can be controlled by manipulating intermolecular interaction.

 

This research, jointly carried out with Professor Clifford P. Brangwynne’s team from Princeton University, combined two technologies: optogenetics, which allows control over protein molecules using light, and CRISPR/Cas9, which targets specific genes. Thus, they developed a technology that can perform targeted condensation of protein molecules inside of a living cell.

 

The technology, named CasDrop, allowed the research team to observe the mechainical interaction between the genome and liquid molecules. The team suggested a new model in which liquid condensates in the cell nucleus work as a filter that selectively restructures the genome.

 

Prof. Shin commented: “The function of a cell depends on which gene is expressed, and it seems that the selective process between genes and liquid condensates play an important role in gene expression. This research is a great example of demonstrating the importance of mechanical interaction of intracellular structures. The technology can be used as a tool in examining the interactions between the genome and liquid condensates, as well as the function of such interactions.”

 

The research was financed by SNU Research Fund for New Professors.

 

The research article was published on the November 29 issue of Cell.

 

 

[Figures]

▲ Graphical abstract of CasDrop technology (top left) and mechanical interactions between liquid condensates and the genome

▲ Mechanical interactions between telomeres and liquid condensates