# Biomolecular Condensates as Organizers of Bacterial RNA Biology

> **NIH NIH R35** · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $369,550

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The fundamental view of bacterial cells is that they are not organized because they generally
lack membrane-bound organelles. Despite the textbook perception that bacteria are
disorganized, a growing array of non-membrane-bound organelles called “biomolecular
condensates” have been identified. These condensates are formed through the physical
process of liquid-liquid phase separation and have the capacity to selectively organize enzymes
and substrates into distinct subcellular locations, suggesting bacterial cells may be highly
organized. The Schrader lab identified the first bacterial condensate in the bacterium C.
crescentus, termed the BR-body, which was found to organize the bacterial RNA decay
machinery, facilitating its complex multi-step biochemical pathway. Bioinformatic signatures of
BR-bodies have been identified across bacteria including many pathogens, suggesting they are
broadly conserved. In addition, several bacterial biomolecular condensates have subsequently
been identified that are involved in diverse biochemical pathways, suggesting that bacterial cells
are generally organized by non-membrane-bound organelles, yet the number and diversity of
such structures remains poorly characterized. By combining in vivo imaging experiments and in
vitro biochemistry we seek to define the important aspects of biomolecular condensate function
and diversity in bacteria. We believe that many of the characteristics of C. crescentus BR-
bodies will be shared in pathogenic organisms, potentially leading to the identification of new
antibiotic targets.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10836976
- **Project number:** 5R35GM124733-07
- **Recipient organization:** WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jared Michael Schrader
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $369,550
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-15 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10836976

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10836976, Biomolecular Condensates as Organizers of Bacterial RNA Biology (5R35GM124733-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10836976. Licensed CC0.

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