PubMed · 2026-06-11
Plant cells form temporary, membrane-free droplets called biomolecular condensates that help them survive stress and coordinate development. This review synthesizes what we know about how these dynamic structures form, what they do, and how scientists study them.
Biomolecular condensates form through liquid-liquid phase separation driven by proteins with intrinsically disordered or low-complexity regions, enabling reversible, dynamic assemblies without membranes.
Condensates regulate key developmental processes in plants including seed hydration, light signaling, auxin hormone pathways, and the timing of flowering.
Emerging evidence suggests condensates exist inside chloroplasts (the photosynthesis organelles), potentially with unique physical properties distinct from those in the cell's main compartment.
