2026
1
Active RNA synthesis patterns nuclear condensates Open access
Andriy Goychuk*; Salman F. Banani*; Pradeep Natarajan*; Ming M. Zheng*; Haoran Wang; Giuseppe Dall’Agnese; Richard A. Young†; Mehran Kardar†; Jonathan E. Henninger†; Arup K. Chakraborty†
* Equal contribution † Corresponding author
In: Cell Systems, vol. 17, pp. 101613, 2026, ISSN: 24054712.
Preprint Repository Abstract Links BibTeX
Finite-Element MethodLiquid-Liquid Phase TransitionNucleolusRNATranscription
In the press
@article{goychuk_active_2026,
title = {Active RNA synthesis patterns nuclear condensates},
author = {Andriy Goychuk and Salman F. Banani and Pradeep Natarajan and Ming M. Zheng and Haoran Wang and Giuseppe Dall’Agnese and Richard A. Young and Mehran Kardar and Jonathan E. Henninger and Arup K. Chakraborty},
doi = {10.1016/j.cels.2026.101613},
issn = {24054712},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-05-01},
urldate = {2026-05-01},
journal = {Cell Systems},
volume = {17},
pages = {101613},
abstract = {Biomolecular condensates are membraneless compartments that organize biochemical processes in cells. In contrast to well-understood mechanisms describing how condensates form and dissolve, the principles underlying condensate patterning—including their size, number, and spacing in the cell—remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that RNA, a key regulator of condensate formation and dissolution, influences condensate patterning. Using nucleolar fibrillar centers (FCs) as a model condensate, we found that inhibiting ribosomal RNA synthesis significantly alters the patterning of FCs. Physical theory and experimental observations support a model whereby active RNA synthesis generates a non-equilibrium state that arrests condensate coarsening and thus contributes to condensate patterning. Altering FC condensate patterning by expression of the FC component treacle ribosome biogenesis factor 1 (TCOF1) impairs ribosomal RNA processing, linking condensate patterning to biological function. These results reveal how non-equilibrium states driven by active chemical processes regulate condensate patterning, which is important for cellular biochemistry and function.},
keywords = {Finite-Element Method, Liquid-Liquid Phase Transition, Nucleolus, RNA, Transcription},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Biomolecular condensates are membraneless compartments that organize biochemical processes in cells. In contrast to well-understood mechanisms describing how condensates form and dissolve, the principles underlying condensate patterning—including their size, number, and spacing in the cell—remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that RNA, a key regulator of condensate formation and dissolution, influences condensate patterning. Using nucleolar fibrillar centers (FCs) as a model condensate, we found that inhibiting ribosomal RNA synthesis significantly alters the patterning of FCs. Physical theory and experimental observations support a model whereby active RNA synthesis generates a non-equilibrium state that arrests condensate coarsening and thus contributes to condensate patterning. Altering FC condensate patterning by expression of the FC component treacle ribosome biogenesis factor 1 (TCOF1) impairs ribosomal RNA processing, linking condensate patterning to biological function. These results reveal how non-equilibrium states driven by active chemical processes regulate condensate patterning, which is important for cellular biochemistry and function.