4D Nucleome Network Wiki

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Phase Separation ======

**Point people/organizers: **//Bo Huang, Xiaokun Shu//

<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>**4DN Google Drive folder:**</font> [[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13D9sG2mqLCQRk8NSyDz1cXCB6BgGIlL4?usp=sharing|https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13D9sG2mqLCQRk8NSyDz1cXCB6BgGIlL4?usp=sharing]]

**<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>4DN Calendar:</font> TBD**

<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>**Agenda/Minutes: **</font>[[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eCa70YdtPJ28DiUo_s3Fiq-MZo5LegK-HtIVMa7f-YI/edit?usp=sharing|https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eCa70YdtPJ28DiUo_s3Fiq-MZo5LegK-HtIVMa7f-YI/edit?usp=sharing]]

<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>**Meeting attendee spreadsheet: **</font>[[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qr7UHQ3rabV1uRsJsuvd9KKj0_AvE7S9ESKKYhq1ORI/edit?usp=sharing|https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qr7UHQ3rabV1uRsJsuvd9KKj0_AvE7S9ESKKYhq1ORI/edit?usp=sharing]]

**<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>Email list:</font> **<phase-separation@4dnucleome.org>

**<font inherit/inherit;;#c0392b;;inherit>Slack channel:</font> **  #ig-phase-separation

===== Topic Statement =====

The nucleus is a crowded mixture of macromolecules that can attain concentrations up to 400 mg/ml, with chromatin comprising a dominant component. Despite such crowding, the nucleus functions like a bustling city with unique and dynamic neighborhoods carrying out distinct sophisticated activities. Phase-separation, a long-observed property of macromolecules at high concentrations, is rapidly emerging as a paradigm to explain intra-nuclear organization. For example, phase-separation may help explain why heterochromatin occupies distinct territories than euchromatin and how transient activation of genes can be enabled through the rapid formation and dissolution of phases containing enhancer-promoter pairs. Yet, we are far from understanding whether and how phase-separation mechanisms in gene regulation exert physiologically relevant effects. Several factors contribute to this conceptual gap: phase-separation behaviors are largely driven by relatively weak, multivalent interactions, which are frequently mediated by disordered protein regions, and we have only just started to uncover the mechanisms and specificity of such interactions. Biological phase-separated condensates, not surprisingly, have complicated compositions involving both protein and nucleic acids. Further, these condensates are heterogeneous in size and shape and can be highly dynamic. This interest group will discuss new findings on the mechanisms and types of condensates and their functional roles in organizing the nucleus.
4D Nucleome Network Wiki

User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools
