When compartmentalization was thought of as a singular feature of eukaryotes, experts were often forced to speculate about how it came about, what the biophysical constraints were, and what selective advantages it might have. “That’s where these prokaryotes become really interesting. If they show some features that are even mildly similar to what we see in eukaryotes, it allows us to broaden the question and attack from a different angle: Under what conditions might compartmentation provide some benefit? Or is it just the case that there’s no benefit whatsoever?” The bacterial cases “suggest that there are multiple ways to do this, and that there could be a strong evolutionary advantage to doing so.” That certainly seems to have been the case with energy production: The independent evolution of anammoxosomes in some kinds of bacteria and mitochondria in eukaryotes signify that “the compartmentalization of energy metabolism is beneficial to the cell. You see a trend in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes to compartmentalize certain traits or certain functions in order to better control them.”

2021-01-10: Biomolecular condensates are an emerging type of membrane-less organelle, and adding a lot to our understanding of cell compartmentalization.

Inside cells, droplets of biomolecules called condensates merge, divide and dissolve. Their dance may regulate vital processes. Biomolecular Condensates may explain the speed of many cellular processes. “The key thing about a condensate — it’s not like a factory; it’s more like a flash mob. You turn on the radio, and everyone comes together, and then you turn it off and everyone disappears”

2022-11-02: Condensates are getting more refined experiments to figure out what’s going on

After an initial rush to document the phenomenon in every nook and cranny of the cell, scientists are beginning to ask more detailed questions. They want to know what these globules are doing, how they form and, importantly, how to prove that these biomolecular condensates are really as widespread and essential to the cell as many reports have claimed. Researchers are also responding to critics who have questioned the accuracy of some descriptions of phase separation in cells, arguing that other forces besides phase separation could have created droplets.
Inside the condensates, enzymatic reactions were 36x faster. Condensates gave the process extra structure: they helped to organize the enzymes spatially, providing a molecular ‘scaffold’ so that they could more easily partner with their reactants. “You get this combined effect of increasing efficiency and increasing concentration”
Some in the community have sought to inject precision into the field and guide researchers in finding out whether a blob forms through phase separation or in some other way. Despite the debates in academia, drug hunters are embracing the concept. Most companies interested in phase separation are prioritizing drug development for cancer and neurological disorders, 2 disease classes frequently linked to condensates that have gone awry.

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