β motifs and molecular flux promote fibril growth at condensate interfaces

Biomolecular condensates can age into gel-like or solid-like states, and their interfaces can promote amyloid fibril formation. Yet the physical principles selecting distinct interfacial aging pathways remain unclear. Here, we develop flux-driven molecular dynamics (FD-MD), a coarse-grained framework to disentangle the roles of rigid β -prone motifs, hydrophobic sequence patterning and molecular deposition rate. We show that rigid motifs can sustain orientational order that converts interfacial adsorption into directional fibrillar growth, whereas flexible chains form spreading surface aggregates. Furthermore for fixed molecular architecture, changing the rate and manner of molecular delivery redirects assembly between lateral spreading, outward fibrillar growth, and bridging between opposing interfaces. Counterinutively, stronger initial drift toward the interface accelerates surface coverage but slows axial fibril elongation, consistent with competition between interfacial accumulation, orientational ordering and outward growth. Molecular architecture thus provides the capacity for directional assembly, while molecular supply selects it morphological outcome. Our findings provide a minimal physical framework for distinct condensate-aging pathwasy and suggest routes to redirect aging through molecular delivery and tuning of interfacial properties of condensates.

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Publication Details

Journal
iScience
Published
2026-10-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.117855
Primary Topic
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

β motifs and molecular flux promote fibril growth at condensate interfaces

Davit A. Potoyan, Subhadip Biswas
iScience
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
article

β motifs and molecular flux promote fibril growth at condensate interfaces

Davit A. Potoyan, Subhadip Biswas
article en

Abstract

Biomolecular condensates can age into gel-like or solid-like states, and their interfaces can promote amyloid fibril formation. Yet the physical principles selecting distinct interfacial aging pathways remain unclear. Here, we develop flux-driven molecular dynamics (FD-MD), a coarse-grained framework to disentangle the roles of rigid β -prone motifs, hydrophobic sequence patterning and molecular deposition rate. We show that rigid motifs can sustain orientational order that converts interfacial adsorption into directional fibrillar growth, whereas flexible chains form spreading surface aggregates. Furthermore for fixed molecular architecture, changing the rate and manner of molecular delivery redirects assembly between lateral spreading, outward fibrillar growth, and bridging between opposing interfaces. Counterinutively, stronger initial drift toward the interface accelerates surface coverage but slows axial fibril elongation, consistent with competition between interfacial accumulation, orientational ordering and outward growth. Molecular architecture thus provides the capacity for directional assembly, while molecular supply selects it morphological outcome. Our findings provide a minimal physical framework for distinct condensate-aging pathwasy and suggest routes to redirect aging through molecular delivery and tuning of interfacial properties of condensates.

iScienceVol. 29(11)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Iowa State University (US), Institut Charles Sadron (FR)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Openalex Percentile: Top 14%
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
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