%0 Preprint
%T Interplay of condensate material properties and chromatin heterogeneity governs nuclear condensate ripening.
%A Banerjee DS
%A Chigumira T
%A Lackner RM
%A Kratz JC
%A Chenoweth DM
%A Banerjee S
%A Zhang H
%J bioRxiv
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 May 10
%M 38766065
暂无%R 10.1101/2024.05.07.593010
%X Biomolecular condensates play pivotal roles in many cellular processes, yet predicting condensate growth dynamics within the complex intracellular environment is challenging. While chromatin mechanics are known to influence condensate coarsening in the nucleus, the effect of condensate properties remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that the interplay between condensate properties and chromatin mechanics dictates condensate growth dynamics. Through chemical dimerization, we induced condensates of various properties in the cell nuclei, revealing distinct growth mechanisms: diffusion-driven or ripening-dominated. To explain experimental observations, we developed a quantitative theory that uncovers the role of chromatin in modulating condensate growth via size-dependent pressure. We find that surface tension is a critical factor in determining whether condensates undergo elastic or Ostwald ripening. Our model predicts that different condensates are affected differently by chromatin heterogeneity, validated by experimentally perturbing chromatin organization. Taken together, our work elucidates how condensate surface tension and chromatin heterogeneity govern nuclear condensate ripening.