Advances in engineering and applications of synthetic phase-separated membraneless organelles in biotechnology
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) constitute crucial dynamic microenvironments within cells, capable of selectively concentrating specific molecules and regulating biochemical reactions. Based on the working mechanisms of natural MLOs, researchers have designed and constructed various synthetic MLOs. These MLOs have been applied in regulating enzyme activity, optimizing metabolic pathways, regulating gene expression, producing recombinant proteins, and developing functional biomaterials. Here, we systematically summarized the design strategies, characterization techniques, and client protein recruitment methods for synthetic MLOs, and categorically reviewed their application progress in the biotechnology field. We also discussed current challenges faced in the practical applications of synthetic MLOs and future research directions. This review aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for the design and application of LLPS-driven synthetic MLOs, thereby promoting their innovative development in synthetic biology and biotechnology.
Date Issued
2026-09-01
Date Acceptance
2026-01-08
Citation
Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2026, 13, pp.37-49
ISSN
2405-805X
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
37
End Page
49
Journal / Book Title
Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology
Volume
13
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41624985
PII: S2405-805X(26)00007-4
Subjects
Functional biomaterials
Metabolic engineering
Phase-separated scaffolds
Protein engineering
Synthetic membraneless organelles
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
China
Date Publish Online
2026-01-22