Results
Publications
Enzyme-driven phase separation of synthetic condensates enables self-organizing compartments and protective microenvironments
Ghosh A., Thatte A., Suraritdechachai S., Rattunde R., Weber C.A., Tang T.-Y.D.
bioRxiv, December 2025
Summary: This preprint is relevant to DarChemDN’s interest in dynamic compartments and synthetic condensates. It explores how enzymatic activity and phase separation can be coupled to form self-organising compartments that regulate biochemical flux and create protective microenvironments.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.24.696465
Access: Open access
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Note: Preprint, not yet peer reviewed.
RNA-peptide interactions tune the ribozyme activity within coacervate microdroplet dispersions
Ghosh B., McCall P.M., Le Vay K.K., Ghosh A., Hubatsch L., Gonzales D.T., Brugués J., Mutschler H., Tang T.-Y.D.
Nature Communications, Volume 16, Article 8765, October 2025
Summary: This study contributes to DarChemDN’s work on compartmentalised chemical systems by showing how RNA-peptide interactions shape coacervate microdroplet properties and ribozyme activity. The findings help explain how membrane-free compartments can influence reaction kinetics and provide selection pressures relevant to molecular evolution.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63656-z
Access: Open access
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Departure from randomness: Evolution of self-replicators that can self-sort through steric zipper formation
Eleveld M.J., Wu J., Liu K., Ottelé J., Markovitch O., Kiani A., Herold L.C., Lasorsa A., van der Wel P.C.A., Otto S.
Chem, Volume 11, Issue 5, Article 102374, May 2025
Summary: This publication directly supports DarChemDN’s objective to develop evolvable synthetic chemical systems. It demonstrates a rudimentary form of Darwinian evolution in self-replicating molecules through mutation, selection and changing replication-destruction regimes.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2024.11.012
Access: Open access
Licence: CC BY-NC or equivalent
Deliverables
D2.7 Replication coupled to coacervation (November 2025)
Key findings:
- Reports progress in coupling the replication of a synthetic self-replicator to the formation of coacervate compartments through catalysis
- Demonstrates that adapted self-replicators can catalyse the formation of coacervates, supporting the development of compartmentalised self-replicating systems
- Uses UPLC-MS and fluorescent confocal microscopy to follow coacervate formation and compare irradiated samples with control conditions
- Defines next steps towards selection by droplet size and future Darwinian evolution based on replicator-mediated coacervate growth and division
D5.1 DarChemDN website and social media channels (January 2024)
Key findings:
- Presents the DarChemDN website and social media channels as the project’s main communication and dissemination platforms
- Describes the website structure, including the landing page, project information, team pages, training section, news section and recruitment information
- Summarises the setup of the DarChemDN LinkedIn, X and YouTube channels and their role in sharing project news, recruitment updates and future research outputs
- Outlines future plans to expand the website with Doctoral Candidate profiles, project results, publications, conference outputs, posters and other documented outcomes