What type of study is this?

This is a In Vitro Study study.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research focuses on design and characterization of protein binders for controlling biomolecular condensates.

February 21, 2026

BPS2026 – De novo design of protein binders for programmable control of biomolecular condensates

Key Points

This research focuses on design and characterization of protein binders for controlling biomolecular condensates.
Combined state-of-the-art pipelines: RFdiffusion and AlphaFold hallucination.
Utilized ProteinMPNN and Boltz1/Pyrosetta to optimize protein binder designs.
Characterized 60 binders in vitro and in vivo for their capability to interfere with biocondensates.
Experimental characterization of protein binders demonstrated their potential to manipulate biocondensates.

Abstract

Biocondensates play a crucial role in various biological functions and are increasingly being explored for applications in health sciences and biotechnology. The programmable control of biocondensates presents a promising avenue for engineering new functionalities, as well as for elucidating their physical properties and regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we aim to design protein binders de novo for the programmable control of biomolecular condensates. We combined the two state-of-the-art pipelines, the diffusion model (RFdiffusion) and AlphaFold hallucination (BindCraft), in conjunction with ProteinMPNN and Boltz1/Pyrosetta, to filter and optimize the structural designs of these protein binders. A total of 60 binders are then experimentally characterized and tested both in vitro and in vivo for their ability to interfere with the condensate. Our study highlights the potential of integrating protein design to enable precise manipulation of biocondensates and other biological processes.

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