Coarse-Grained Modeling of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in Cells: Challenges and Opportunities

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) within cells gives rise to membraneless organelles, which play pivotal roles in numerous cellular functions. A comprehensive understanding of the functional aspects of intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) condensates necessitates elucidating their inherent structures and establishing correlations with biological functions. Coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations present a promising avenue for gaining insights into LLPS mechanisms of biomacromolecules. Essential to this endeavor is the development of tailored CG force fields for MD simulations, incorporating the full spectrum of biomolecules involved in the formation of condensates and accounting for real-time biochemical reactions coupled to the LLPS. Moreover, developing accurate theoretical frameworks and establishing links between condensate structure and its function are imperative for a thorough comprehension of LLPS of biological systems.