Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42839831›Full record

ArticleMacromolecular bioscience2026

Active Field Theory Approach to Explain Size Control of Transcriptional Condensates.

Kathrin Hertäg, Samuel Shoup, Leonhard T Thews, Radhika Khatter, Eugenio Ferrario, Joshua F Robinson, Sina Wittmann, Sandra Schick, Thomas Speck

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Macromolecular bioscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Kathrin HertägInstitute for Theoretical Physics IV, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
Samuel ShoupChromatin Regulation Group, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-3534
Leonhard T ThewsProtein Disorder in Transcription Group, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2858-3473
Radhika KhatterProtein Disorder in Transcription Group, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0095-3120
Eugenio FerrarioProtein Production Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6429-7980
Joshua F RobinsonSTFC Hartree Centre, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Warrington, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2613-3667
Sina WittmannProtein Disorder in Transcription Group, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0074-5331
Sandra SchickChromatin Regulation Group, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4061-2381
Thomas SpeckInstitute for Theoretical Physics IV, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6357-1180

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 464588647
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transcription factors organize into liquid-like condensates to facilitate gene expression, yet the physical mechanisms governing their formation and properties remain poorly understood. We study the size statistics of transcriptional condensates in human HAP1 cells using widefield and super-resolution microscopy tagging the epigenetic reader BRD4. We find that hubs that appear monolithic in widefield resolve into clusters of smaller droplets that resist coarsening. We link this size control to Active Model B+, a non-equilibrium field theory that captures a regime of reverse Ostwald ripening out of thermal equilibrium. In this regime, chemically driven currents cause larger droplets to transfer mass back to smaller ones, stabilizing a state of microphase segregation. The observed exponential size distribution of BRD4 foci quantitatively matches our numerical simulations, suggesting a universal physical picture for the non-equilibrium self-limitation of cellular condensates.

Indexed as

Biomolecular CondensatesNuclear ProteinsTranscription FactorsTranscription, GeneticBromodomain Containing ProteinsCell Cycle ProteinsHumansBRD4 protein, humanBromodomain Containing ProteinsCell Cycle ProteinsNuclear ProteinsTranscription Factorschemical physicseffective field theorynanotechnologyOstwald ripeningphysicsresistthermal equilibriumtranscription factor

Identifiers

PMID42839831
PMCPMC13643503

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.