The energy currency in your cells can form little liquid drops on its own, which might be how life on Earth actually started.
March 25, 2026
Original Paper
Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) forms protein-free and responsive condensates in crowded environments
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.22.713448
The Takeaway
ATP is usually thought of as the fuel for proteins, but this study reveals it can form its own liquid-like droplets in crowded environments without any proteins present. These droplets can swallow and protect RNA, suggesting ATP served as a structural 'architect' for early life before modern cells existed.
From the abstract
Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is found to form biomolecular condensates with proteins. However, without complementary proteins, the small size and high charge density of ATP molecules create substantial electrostatic and entropic barriers that prevent them from forming condensates. Here, we find that macromolecular crowding overcomes these energetic barriers, promoting ATP molecules to self-associate and form protein-free liquid-like condensates through screened electrostatic repulsion and enh