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Related Concept Videos

Cohesion01:07

Cohesion

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Cohesion is the attraction between molecules of the same type, such as water molecules. Water molecules have an overall neutral charge but are polar molecule. An oxygen atom in one water molecule has a partial negative charge that can bind to a hydrogen atom with a partial positive charge in a second water molecule, forming a hydrogen bond. Each water molecule can form up to four hydrogen bonds with other water molecules. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for water's cohesive nature.
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Atoms and molecules interact with each other through intermolecular forces. These electrostatic forces arise from attractive or repulsive interactions between particles with permanent, partial, or temporary charges. The intermolecular forces between neutral atoms and molecules are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, and dispersion forces, collectively known as van der Waals forces.
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Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
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Intermolecular forces are attractive forces that exist between molecules. They dictate several bulk properties, such as melting points, boiling points, and solubilities (miscibilities) of substances. Molar mass, molecular shape, and polarity affect the strength of different intermolecular forces, which influence the magnitude of physical properties across a family of molecules.
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The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ...
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Beyond Langmuir: surface-bound macromolecule condensates.

T J Mitchison1

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study proposes that macromolecule condensates form on surfaces via multilayer adsorption, inspired by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory. These surface-bound condensates can assemble at low concentrations, influencing cellular processes like gene regulation.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Macromolecule condensates and membraneless compartments are key in cell biology.
  • Surface binding and multilayer adsorption are emerging concepts for condensate formation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the hypothesis that condensates assemble on multivalent surfaces through multilayer adsorption.
  • To present a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)-inspired model for surface-bound condensate formation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of Langmuir and BET isotherm theories.
  • Development of a BET-inspired biochemical model for protein self-association on surfaces.
  • Analysis of Tau binding to microtubules as a test case.

Main Results:

  • The model predicts "bound condensates" forming via multilayer adsorption on surfaces.
  • These condensates assemble below saturation concentration for liquid-liquid phase separation.
  • Surface-bound condensates can outcompete phase-separated droplets for subunits and are pinned to the surface.

Conclusions:

  • Surface-bound condensates offer a mechanism for spatially constrained assembly.
  • This mechanism has potential applications in biological regulation, such as gene regulation.
  • Tau binding to microtubules presents a complex but relevant biological example for surface-bound condensates.