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  • Open Access

Phase Separation Induces Oscillations in Negative Feedback Loops

Alessandra Lucchetti*, Lukas H. Kristensen, Mogens H. Jensen, and Mathias S. Heltberg†

  • *Contact author: alessandra.lucchetti@nbi.ku.dk
  • †Contact author: mathias.heltberg@nbi.ku.dk
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 048401 – Published 22 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/xn55-h5hq

Abstract

Oscillations constitute a defining feature of nonequilibrium processes of life. We analyze a minimal degradation-mediated negative feedback loop, in which the final species in a linear cascade enzymatically degrades the first component. By coupling mean-field ordinary differential equations with a phase-separated component, we reveal novel inhibition scalings that expand the parameter regime supporting oscillations. Extending to arbitrary sublinear exponents and network sizes, we derive general bifurcation criteria and identify universal relations for oscillation onset in a reduced time-delay model. Our results show that phase separation promotes oscillations, uncovering a nonequilibrium mechanism for dynamic regulation in cellular systems.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 048401– Published 22 July, 2026
  • Received 5 September 2025
  • Accepted 13 May 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

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