A General Fluorescence-Based Method for Quantifying and Mapping Biomolecular Polarity In Vitro and In Cells

Abstract

Spatial discretization of biomolecules in the complex cellular environment is crucial for biomolecular form and function. The ability to better understand the driving force of spatial discretization of biomolecules in the complex cellular matrix remains a challenging task. We report on the robust polarity sensitive solvatochromic probe, FLAM, in conjunction with spectral phasor analysis as a general method for studying environmental polarity in biological systems. We find that phase separated proteins of SFPQ have distinct polarity depending on the type of phase separation occurring, suggesting that polarity plays a role in the formation of phase separated condensates. When using FLAM in cells, distinct subcellular environmental polarity distribution but similar trend of changes is observed for cells under similar type of stressors. Taken together, our method puts forth an exciting development in the tool set for the study of phase separation.