Within the first funding round of this proposal, we have derived a theory for multi-component phase separation and fuel-driven chemical reactions (Bauermann, AdP 2022; Michaels, PRR 2022, Pönisch, Biophys. J. 2023, Laha, Arxiv 2024, Bartolucci, Bioarxiv 2024).
Recently, we even accounted for hydrodynamic flows and developed numerical techniques enabling efficient computations.
We also applied this theoretical framework to various experimental systems of our experimental collaborators. By comparing theory and experiments,
we could quantitatively extract chemical reaction rates - a prerequisite to deciphering the functionalities of chemical reaction cycles in system chemistry and biology.
We also developed theoretical frameworks to numerically calculate the growth and shape dynamics of millions of compartments of different compositions, where the components are subject
to fuel-driven, irreversible chemical reactions. In several recent publications, we set the groundwork for this goal (Bauermann, AdP 2022, Laha, Arxiv 2024). Currently, we are applying this framework to study
the selection of compartments.
We also studied the selection, replication, and evolution of molecules with sequence-specific interactions. In particular, we investigated which
types of sequences get selected under which physical condition. In collaboration with the Braun group (Bartolucci et al, PNAS, 2023), we could show that when subjecting phase separating system by a cycling sequence pool
gives rise to the selection of specific sequences. This selection is based on specific sequence-sequences interaction triggering phase separation. In simple words, the cycles fish for better sequences in each cycle while expelling less
well-interacting sequences. In the next step, we start accounting for polymerization processes (Bartolucci, Bioarxiv, 2023).
Moreover, for the last funding round, we will continue with detailed studies on systems where compartments can undergo replication and selection of compartments.
