AI-powered platforms uncover proteins that organise cellular compartments

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed two artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms that could enable researchers to more accurately predict proteins that undergo phase separation - a process through which proteins in cells separate like oil droplets in water. The tools are the result of a systematic analysis of predicted phase-separating proteins from various living things, including animals, plants, fungi and single-celled organisms such as bacteria. From their analyses, the scientists also uncovered fundamental insights about the phase separation process. Led by Professor Miao Yansong from the School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS) at NTU, in collaboration with Professor Weibo Gao from NTU's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the research could be applied to advance the understanding of diseases and ageing, as well as to improve crops. Both AI platforms and their research findings have been reported in the peer-reviewed journal .