The nucleus is a highly organized arrangement of RNA, DNA and protein molecules that are compartmentalized within three-dimensional (3D) structures involved in shared functional and regulatory processes. Yet, what drives the molecular and spatial organization of these 3D compartments and what functional role(s) they play remains largely unknown.

Here, we will discuss a widespread role for non-coding RNAs in seeding compartments throughout the nucleus and describe a unique mechanism for how ncRNAs drive concentration-dependent transitions from diffuse localization to compartmentalized structures. We will describe how these ncRNA-mediated compartments control major classes of nuclear functions, including RNA processing, heterochromatin assembly, and gene regulation. Finally, we will discuss several emerging mechanistic paradigms for how compartments ensure quantitative regulation in the nucleus.

Speaker:
Mitchell Guttman, Ph.D.
Professor, California Institute of Technology
Investigator, Heritage Medical Research Institute