Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: AI-discovered protein fragments as generalizable regulators of biomolecular condensates
doi: 10.64898/2026.05.08.723928
Figure Lengend Snippet: ( A ) Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were co-transfected with plasmids for expression of FAK 379-408 -2A-DsRed and FAK-GFP. After 24 hours the cells were seeded onto poly-D-Lysine plates and imaged for DNA (Hoechst), DsRed, and GFP fluorescence. ( B ) DNA, FAK 379-408 , and FAK imaging. Cells expressing significant FAK-GFP but not FAK 379-408 form condensates; cells expressing both FAK-GFP and FAK 379-408 exhibit drastic reduction of FAK condensates. ( C ) Representative cell expressing FAK-GFP only vs. cell expressing FAK-GFP + FAK 379-408 -2A-DsRed, at the same FAK transfection level (GFP intensity of ∼250 a.u.; Methods ). ( D ) Quantification of microscopy results. Number of FAK condensate puncta ( N condensates ) per cell as a function of the fragment:FAK (DsRed:GFP) intensity ratio in co-transfected cells. The number of puncta is negatively correlated with the intensity ratio (Spearman ρ = −0.54, P < 10 −10 ). ( E ) Bar plot from data in (D), comparing number of condensates per cell for fragment:FAK intensity ratios of ≤ 0.5 and ≥ 1. Bar height, mean value; error bars, standard deviation. *, difference is significant at p < 0.05, Student’s t-test.
Article Snippet: Mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF ATCC CRL-2645) cells were maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM; high glucose, Invitrogen) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS, Thermo Scientific), 1% penicillin–streptomycin, and 2 mM Glutamax at 37°C in a humidified incubator with 5% CO2.
Techniques: Transfection, Expressing, Fluorescence, Imaging, Microscopy, Standard Deviation