Mechanical Frustration of Phase Separation in the Cell Nucleus by Chromatin

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mechanical Frustration of Phase Separation in the Cell Nucleus by Chromatin

AU - Zhang, Yaojun

AU - Lee, Daniel S.W.

AU - Meir, Yigal

AU - Brangwynne, Clifford P.

AU - Wingreen, Ned S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Physical Society.

PY - 2021/6/25

Y1 - 2021/6/25

N2 - Liquid-liquid phase separation is a fundamental mechanism underlying subcellular organization. Motivated by the striking observation that optogenetically generated droplets in the nucleus display suppressed coarsening dynamics, we study the impact of chromatin mechanics on droplet phase separation. We combine theory and simulation to show that cross-linked chromatin can mechanically suppress droplets' coalescence and ripening, as well as quantitatively control their number, size, and placement. Our results highlight the role of the subcellular mechanical environment on condensate regulation.

AB - Liquid-liquid phase separation is a fundamental mechanism underlying subcellular organization. Motivated by the striking observation that optogenetically generated droplets in the nucleus display suppressed coarsening dynamics, we study the impact of chromatin mechanics on droplet phase separation. We combine theory and simulation to show that cross-linked chromatin can mechanically suppress droplets' coalescence and ripening, as well as quantitatively control their number, size, and placement. Our results highlight the role of the subcellular mechanical environment on condensate regulation.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108904714&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85108904714&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.258102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.258102

M3 - Article

C2 - 34241518

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 126

JO - Physical review letters

JF - Physical review letters

IS - 25

M1 - 258102

ER -