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Mouse heterochromatin adopts digital compaction states without showing hallmarks of HP1-driven liquid-liquid phase separation

The formation of silenced and condensed heterochromatin foci involves enrichment of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). HP1 can bridge chromatin segments and form liquid droplets, but the biophysical principles underlying heterochromatin compartmentalization in the cell nucleus are elusive. Here, we as...

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Main Authors: Erdel, Fabian (Author) , Rademacher, Anne (Author) , Vlijm, Rifka (Author) , Tünnermann, Jana (Author) , Frank, Lukas (Author) , Weinmann, Robin (Author) , Schweigert, Elisabeth (Author) , Yserentant, Klaus (Author) , Hummert, Johan (Author) , Bauer, Caroline (Author) , Schumacher, Sabrina (Author) , Al Alwash, Ahmad (Author) , Normand, Christophe (Author) , Herten, Dirk-Peter (Author) , Engelhardt, Johann (Author) , Rippe, Karsten (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: February 25, 2020
In: Molecular cell
Year: 2020, Volume: 78, Issue: 2, Pages: 236-249.e1-e7
ISSN:1097-4164
DOI:10.1016/j.molcel.2020.02.005
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2020.02.005
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276520300757
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Author Notes:Fabian Erdel, Anne Rademacher, Rifka Vlijm, Jana Tünnermann, Lukas Frank, Robin Weinmann, Elisabeth Schweigert, Klaus Yserentant, Johan Hummert, Caroline Bauer, Sabrina Schumacher, Ahmad Al Alwash, Christophe Normand, Dirk-Peter Herten, Johann Engelhardt, and Karsten Rippe
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Summary:The formation of silenced and condensed heterochromatin foci involves enrichment of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). HP1 can bridge chromatin segments and form liquid droplets, but the biophysical principles underlying heterochromatin compartmentalization in the cell nucleus are elusive. Here, we assess mechanistically relevant features of pericentric heterochromatin compaction in mouse fibroblasts. We find that (1) HP1 has only a weak capacity to form liquid droplets in living cells; (2) the size, global accessibility, and compaction of heterochromatin foci are independent of HP1; (3) heterochromatin foci lack a separated liquid HP1 pool; and (4) heterochromatin compaction can toggle between two “digital” states depending on the presence of a strong transcriptional activator. These findings indicate that heterochromatin foci resemble collapsed polymer globules that are percolated with the same nucleoplasmic liquid as the surrounding euchromatin, which has implications for our understanding of chromatin compartmentalization and its functional consequences.
Item Description:Gesehen am 15.05.2020
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1097-4164
DOI:10.1016/j.molcel.2020.02.005

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