(649a) Salt Dependence of Liquid Liquid Phase Separation of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Membraneless organelles are cellular structures commonly formed through liquid liquid phase separation (LLPS) that are responsible for a number of cellular functions such as localization, compartmentalization, and filtration. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play a significant role in LLPS, and thus are essential to understanding the mechanisms underlying this process. When analyzing the role of IDPs, it is clear that the electrostatic interactions of the protein are paramount. These electrostatic interactions can be altered by the presence of salt and other cosolvents. Depending on the identity and composition of the protein, salt can stabilize (salt-out) or destabilize (salt-in) phase separated condensates. By utilizing computational techniques, we explore the relationship between salt and interactions that drive phase separation.