Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are viscoelastic materials formed by liquid-liquid phase separations (LLPS) of biopolymers. In this study, we develop a modified graph Laplacian-based collective model to characterize viscoelastic heterogeneity within condensates based on results of lattice-based Metropolis Monte Carlo (MMC) simulations. By integrating random graph models and simulations of A1-LCD, a type of intrinsically disordered protein, we examine how network topology influences storage modulus, loss modulus, crossover frequency, and relaxation time spectra. Our results reveal a strong correlation between topological features and mechanical response, with the condensate interior exhibiting higher stiffness and faster relaxation than the interface. The relaxation spectra provide rich insights into dynamic behavior beyond what moduli alone can capture. This framework offers a scalable, interpretable approach for quantifying spatial viscoelasticity in biomolecular assemblies.
Committee Chair
Rohit V. Pappu
Committee Members
Amit Pathak, Guy Genin
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Author's Department
Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2025
Language
English (en)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7936/29qn-vt65
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5086-5592
Recommended Citation
Gu, Liwen, "Direct Computations of Spatially Resolved Viscoelastic Moduli of Biomolecular Condensates" (2025). McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations. 1209.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.7936/29qn-vt65
Included in
Biological and Chemical Physics Commons, Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons, Materials Science and Engineering Commons