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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
10:45
Stable Aqueous Suspensions of Manganese Ferrite Clusters with Tunable Nanoscale Dimension and Composition
Published on: February 5, 2022
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FUS nanoclusters are a distinct state within the dilute phase.
Yingda Ge1,2, Tapas Paul2,3, Margarita Gordiychuk4
1Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Nature Communications
|November 12, 2025
Summary
Researchers identified a new state in Fused in sarcoma (FUS) liquid-liquid phase separation called nanoclusters. These distinct intermediates form rapidly and have unique properties, offering new insights into FUS protein behavior.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is crucial in biological processes.
- The precise mechanism governing FUS LLPS is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early stages and mechanisms of FUS liquid-liquid phase separation.
- To identify and characterize novel intermediate states in FUS phase separation.
Main Methods:
- Kinetic measurements of phase separation using pre-cleaved FUS.
- Biophysical techniques including dynamic light scattering and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.
- Optimized single-cluster fluorescence imaging assay.
Main Results:
- Identified a distinct state, termed nanoclusters, in the dilute phase below saturation concentration.
- Nanoclusters exhibit rapid formation, arrested coarsening, fast mixing, and high exchange rates.
- These nanoclusters possess properties distinct from mature condensates and resist dissolution.
Conclusions:
- Nanoclusters represent a key intermediate state in the FUS phase separation pathway.
- This discovery provides a new framework for understanding FUS protein dynamics.
- Opens avenues for exploring molecular mechanisms of FUS and other phase-separating proteins.
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