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RNA transcription modulates phase transition-driven nuclear body assembly

Author(s): Berry, J; Weber, SC; Vaidya, N; Haataja, M; Brangwynne, CP; et al

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Abstract: Living cells contain various membraneless organelles whose size and assembly appear to be governed by equilibrium thermodynamic phase separation. However, the dynamics of this process are poorly understood. Here, we quantify the assembly dynamics of liquid-phase nuclear bodies and find that they can be explained by classical models of phase separation and coarsening. In addition, active nonequilibrium processes, particularly rRNA transcription, can locally modulate thermodynamic parameters to stabilize nucleoli. Our findings demonstrate that the classical phase separation mechanisms long associated with nonliving condensed matter can mediate organelle assembly in living cells, whereas chemical activity may serve to regulate these processes in response to developmental or environmental conditions.
Publication Date: 22-Sep-2015
Electronic Publication Date: 2015
Citation: Berry, J, Weber, SC, Vaidya, N, Haataja, M, Brangwynne, CP, Weitz, DA. (2015). RNA transcription modulates phase transition-driven nuclear body assembly. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 (E5237 - E5245. doi:10.1073/pnas.1509317112
DOI: doi:10.1073/pnas.1509317112
Pages: E5237 - E5245
Type of Material: Journal Article
Journal/Proceeding Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Version: Final published version. Article is made available in OAR by the publisher's permission or policy.



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