德国马普学会分子细胞生物学和遗传学研究所C. Zechner、A. A. Hyman、马普学会复杂系统物理研究所F. Jülicher等研究人员合作发现，相分离为减少细胞内噪声提供了机制。2020年1月24日，国际知名学术期刊《科学》发表了这一成果。

据研究人员介绍，细胞内蛋白质的表达很嘈杂，导致同一细胞之间蛋白质浓度的差异。细胞控制的中心问题是细胞如何应付这种固有噪声。有人提出通过相分离使蛋白质区室化是减少噪声的潜在机制，但是缺少支持这种想法的系统研究。

Title: Phase separation provides a mechanism to reduce noise in cells

Author: A. Klosin, F. Oltsch, T. Harmon, A. Honigmann, F. Jülicher, A. A. Hyman, C. Zechner

Issue&Volume: 2020/01/24

Abstract: Expression of proteins inside cells is noisy, causing variability in protein concentration among identical cells. A central problem in cellular control is how cells cope with this inherent noise. Compartmentalization of proteins through phase separation has been suggested as a potential mechanism to reduce noise, but systematic studies to support this idea have been missing. In this study, we used a physical model that links noise in protein concentration to theory of phase separation to show that liquid droplets can effectively reduce noise. We provide experimental support for noise reduction by phase separation using engineered proteins that form liquid-like compartments in mammalian cells. Thus, phase separation can play an important role in biological signal processing and control.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aav6691

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6476/464