A guiding principle of biology is that biochemical reactions must be organized in space and time. One way this spatio-temporal organization is achieved is through liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), which generates biomolecular condensates. These condensates are dynamic and reactive, and often contain a complex mixture of proteins and nucleic acids. In this review, we discuss how underlying physical and chemical processes generate internal condensate architectures. We then outline the diverse condensate architectures that are observed in biological systems. Finally, we discuss how specific condensate organization is critical for specific biological functions.

生物学的一个指导原则是生化反应必须在空间和时间上进行组织。实现这种时空组织的一种方法是通过液-液相分离 (LLPS)，它会产生生物分子凝聚物。这些冷凝物是动态的和反应性的，通常含有蛋白质和核酸的复杂混合物。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了潜在的物理和化学过程如何产生内部凝聚结构。然后，我们概述了在生物系统中观察到的各种凝聚结构。最后，我们讨论了特定的凝结物组织对于特定的生物功能是如何至关重要的。