Condensate-mediated chromatin organization through elastocapillary interactions*

Biomolecular condensates in the nucleus play a pivotal role in the organization and functionality of chromatin. Here, we propose a novel computational model for the complex elastocapillary interactions between condensates and fiber networks, augmented experimentally by a set of light-inducible proteinaceous condensates with a wide range of binding affinities to chromatin. In both simulations and experiments, we found distinct regimes where condensates cavitate or engulf the chromatin network. In addition, the size and morphology of condensates as well as the compaction of chromatin are dictated by the interplay between wetting affinity and chromatin stiffness. More broadly, our computational model is suitable for studying a wide range of capillary phenomena in biology and materials science and, together with our experimental platform, paves the way for further investigation of condensate-mediated nuclear organization and functionality.