Date Oct 7, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Location Thomas Laboratory Audience Free and open to the university community and the public. Speakers Michael Rosen Professor and Mar Nell and F. Andrew Bell Distinguished Chair University of Texas, Southwestern HHMI Details Event Description Biomolecular condensates are two- and three-dimensional compartments in eukaryotic cells that concentrate specific collections of proteins and nucleic acids without an encapsulating membrane. Many condensates behave as dynamic liquids, and are believed to form through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) driven by interactions between multivalent macromolecules. In my talk I will discuss a new direction in the lab focused on understanding how multivalent interactions among nucleosomes may afford organization and dynamic regulation of chromatin through LLPS. These behaviors may contribute to formation of functionally distinct compartments in the eukaryotic nucleus, which are important to processes including gene regulation and DNA repair. If time permits, I will also discuss our ongoing work to understand how the macroscopic properties of natural, many-component condensates arise from the physical properties and interactions of their constituents. Sponsor Sabine Petry, Department of Molecular Biology Event Category Butler Seminar Series