Systems: Biological Condensates; Intrinsically Disordered Proteins; Prions & Amyloids
Tools: Single-Molecule Biophysics; Molecular & Cell Biology; Spectroscopy & Imaging
Overview
The overarching goal of our lab is to investigate a wide range of fascinating aspects of intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPs/IDRs) that undergo macromolecular phase separation into biological condensates. IDPs challenge the tenets of the traditional structure-function paradigm and exist as a rapidly interconverting conformational ensemble rather than a single well-defined structure. The conformational plasticity allows them to adopt different structures depending on their binding partners. Therefore, a single polypeptide sequence is capable of accomplishing a range of functions. It proposed that retaining disorder is an evolutionary strategy that allows complex functions within a compact genome of higher organisms. Additionally, the dysfunction of many IDPs is associated with a range of deadly human diseases. In our lab, we utilize a diverse array of tools and concepts from chemical physics and physical chemistry to chemical biology to biophysics and molecular and cell biology to study the intriguing behavior of IDPs/IDRs that allow them to undergo phase transitions involved in a wide range of cellular functions and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and so forth.
For more details, see our Research page.
Cover Page in Biophysical Journal special issue on Biological Condensates (Link):
A two-color, 3D Airyscan, super-resolution microscopy image of multicomponent and multiphasic protein-nucleic acid condensates of two neuronal proteins, tau protein (green) and prion protein (red), in the presence of RNA. Image credit: Sandeep K. Rai, Roopali Khanna, and Samrat Mukhopadhyay.
News and Events
Our latest paper on energy migration via homoFRET to study modulation in the material property of biomolecular condensates in vitro & in situ (in cells) is out in Nature Communications (this is our 4th paper in Nature Communications).
Our latest paper on the inhibition of pathological prion variant Y145Stop amyloidogenesis by chaperone-mediated heterotypic phase separation is published in the Journal of Molecular Biology.
Samrat chaired the Biophysical Society's Intrinsically Disordered Protein Subgroup Symposium 2025, held at Los Angeles.
Samrat shares some unheard stories from his intellectual journey - from aspiring to join IISc Bangalore to becoming a professor of chemistry and biology, in a conversation with Prof. G.V. Pavan Kumar. Here's the “Pratidhvani” podcast.
Samrat co-edited the "Biological Condensates" special issue for Biophysical Journal. Link
Samrat has been awarded the prestigious JC Bose Fellowship.
Our exciting paper on single-molecule FRET in biomolecular condensates is published in Nature Communications (this is our 3rd paper in Nature Communications).
Research Funding
IISER Mohali
Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering (Centre of Excellence at IISER Mohali)
