Invited Speaker

Arnold Boersma

Utrecht University

Macromolecular crowding in living and lifeless systems

The cytoplasm contains many macromolecules that occupy space, leading to macromolecular crowding. The effect of crowding on cellular organization remains unclear. Here, I will present our efforts to investigate the consequences of crowding on biomolecular organization, in particular by comparing living cells with synthetic alternatives that offer greater control. To compare living and lifeless systems, we engineer and apply protein-based probes. I will focus on measuring intracellular crowding, on how to mimic it in artificial systems, and on the consequences for protein aggregation. Crowding effects on aggregation occur amid a variety of other physicochemical phenomena and biochemical interactors, and we assess their contributions in our systems accordingly.