A new phase in cellular communication
(Phys.org)—In many physical processes, substances undergo phase transitions, where they are transformed from one state (solid, liquid, or gas) to another. Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Proteins (WASP) function as intracellular signaling molecules, and one member of the family, N-WASP, interacts with two other proteins, forming a complex that plays an integral role in the regulation of the cell's internal scaffold. This interaction provides a system for investigation of phase transitions that result from multivalent protein-protein interactions. Utilizing the Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (Bio-CAT) synchrotron x-ray facility at the Advanced Photon Source, researchers investigated interactions between engineered multivalent substances. Understanding this research will be important in guiding future studies to further evaluate the role of phase transitions in biological systems.