Where Do Coacervates Form?

In the warm primordial ocean, aggregates of amino acids, proteins, and other hydrocarbons came together into a form called *coacervates*. Amino acids will spontaneously form coacervates in the same way that beads of vinegar in oil come together.

What are coacervates and how are they formed?

Coacervate (/koʊəˈsɜːrvət/ or /koʊˈæsərveɪt/) is an aqueous phase rich in macromolecules such as synthetic polymers, proteins or nucleic acids. It forms through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), leading to a dense phase in thermodynamic equilibrium with a dilute phase.

How are coacervates formed in evolution?

Analogous to membraneless organelles, complex coacervates are water droplets dispersed in water and formed by spontaneous LLPS of an aqueous solution of two oppositely charged polyelectrolytes to form a dense polyelectrolyte-rich phase (coacervate) and a more dilute solution (Fig. 1).