PhaSepDB: a database of liquid-liquid phase separation related proteins.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is crucial for forming membraneless organelles, which concentrate proteins and nucleic acids.
• Identifying proteins involved in LLPS and their functions is an active area of research.
• Existing knowledge on phase separation-associated proteins is dispersed across numerous publications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a centralized, manually curated database of proteins associated with liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS).
• To provide a comprehensive resource for researchers studying the mechanisms and functions of LLPS in cellular processes.
• To facilitate the discovery and analysis of phase separation-associated proteins and their properties.

Main Methods:

• Manual curation of proteins involved in LLPS from published literature and existing databases.
• Inclusion of protein summaries, publication references, and sequence features related to LLPS behavior.
• Development of an online platform (PhaSepDB) for easy access, searching, and downloading of curated data.

Main Results:

• PhaSepDB currently contains 2914 non-redundant proteins localized in various organelles.
• The database offers protein summaries, publication references, and sequence features relevant to LLPS.
• Sequence features indicative of LLPS behavior are available for other human protein candidates.

Conclusions:

• PhaSepDB serves as a centralized and valuable resource for the research community.
• The database is expected to significantly facilitate future studies on liquid-liquid phase separation.
• Improved accessibility to curated protein data will accelerate research into membraneless organelles and their functions.