Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Abstract The self‐assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) into condensed phases and the formation of membrane‐less organelles (MLOs) can be considered as the phenomenon of collective behavior. The conformational dynamics of IDPs are essential for their interactions and the formation of...

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Main Authors: Haoyu Song, Jian Cui, Guorong Hu, Long Xiong, Yanee Wutthinitikornkit, Hai Lei, Jingyuan Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412989
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author Haoyu Song
Jian Cui
Guorong Hu
Long Xiong
Yanee Wutthinitikornkit
Hai Lei
Jingyuan Li
author_facet Haoyu Song
Jian Cui
Guorong Hu
Long Xiong
Yanee Wutthinitikornkit
Hai Lei
Jingyuan Li
author_sort Haoyu Song
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The self‐assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) into condensed phases and the formation of membrane‐less organelles (MLOs) can be considered as the phenomenon of collective behavior. The conformational dynamics of IDPs are essential for their interactions and the formation of a condensed phase. From a physical perspective, collective behavior and the emergence of phase are associated with long‐range correlations. Here the conformational dynamics of IDPs and the correlations therein are analyzed, using µs‐scale atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and single‐molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) experiments. The existence of typical scale‐free spatio‐temporal correlations in IDP conformational fluctuations is demonstrated. Their conformational evolutions exhibit “1/f noise” power spectra and are accompanied by the appearance of residue domains following a power‐law size distribution. Additionally, the motions of residues present scale‐free behavioral correlation. These scale‐free correlations resemble those in physical systems near critical points, suggesting that IDPs are poised at a critical state. Therefore, IDPs can effectively respond to finite differences in sequence compositions and engender considerable structural heterogeneity which is beneficial for IDP interactions and phase formation.
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spelling doaj-art-423fffae5e5c4f959c01351f9f452bee2025-08-20T03:27:46ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-03-01129n/an/a10.1002/advs.202412989Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered ProteinsHaoyu Song0Jian Cui1Guorong Hu2Long Xiong3Yanee Wutthinitikornkit4Hai Lei5Jingyuan Li6School of Physics Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 PR ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure Department of Physics Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 PR ChinaSchool of Physics Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 PR ChinaSchool of Physics and Astronomy Yunnan University Kunming 650091 PR ChinaSchool of Physics Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 PR ChinaSchool of Physics Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 PR ChinaSchool of Physics Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 PR ChinaAbstract The self‐assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) into condensed phases and the formation of membrane‐less organelles (MLOs) can be considered as the phenomenon of collective behavior. The conformational dynamics of IDPs are essential for their interactions and the formation of a condensed phase. From a physical perspective, collective behavior and the emergence of phase are associated with long‐range correlations. Here the conformational dynamics of IDPs and the correlations therein are analyzed, using µs‐scale atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and single‐molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) experiments. The existence of typical scale‐free spatio‐temporal correlations in IDP conformational fluctuations is demonstrated. Their conformational evolutions exhibit “1/f noise” power spectra and are accompanied by the appearance of residue domains following a power‐law size distribution. Additionally, the motions of residues present scale‐free behavioral correlation. These scale‐free correlations resemble those in physical systems near critical points, suggesting that IDPs are poised at a critical state. Therefore, IDPs can effectively respond to finite differences in sequence compositions and engender considerable structural heterogeneity which is beneficial for IDP interactions and phase formation.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412989collective behaviorconformational dynamicscritical phenomenaintrinsically disordered proteinsscale‐free correlation
spellingShingle Haoyu Song
Jian Cui
Guorong Hu
Long Xiong
Yanee Wutthinitikornkit
Hai Lei
Jingyuan Li
Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Advanced Science
collective behavior
conformational dynamics
critical phenomena
intrinsically disordered proteins
scale‐free correlation
title Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
title_full Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
title_fullStr Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
title_full_unstemmed Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
title_short Scale‐free Spatio‐temporal Correlations in Conformational Fluctuations of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
title_sort scale free spatio temporal correlations in conformational fluctuations of intrinsically disordered proteins
topic collective behavior
conformational dynamics
critical phenomena
intrinsically disordered proteins
scale‐free correlation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412989
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