E. J. Banigan

Transcription regulates bleb formation and stability independent of nuclear rigidity

This study shows transcription affects nuclear bleb formation and stability independently of chromatin structure or nuclear rigidity.

Live-cell micromanipulation of a genomic locus reveals interphase chromatin mechanics

The paper uses magnetic forces to manipulate a genomic locus in live human cells, revealing chromatin's viscoelastic properties and challenging the gel-like model.

HP1α is a chromatin crosslinker that controls nuclear and mitotic chromosome mechanics

This study shows HP1α crosslinks chromatin to maintain nuclear and mitotic chromosome mechanics, independent of histone methylation.

The interplay between asymmetric and symmetric DNA loop extrusion

This study investigates how different DNA loop extrusion mechanisms contribute to chromosome compaction, showing that two-sided extrusion and stable binding enhance compaction.

Dynamic nuclear structure emerges from chromatin crosslinks and motors

The paper models how motor activity and crosslinks generate dynamic nuclear structure and chromosome motions.

Chromosome organization by one-sided and two-sided loop extrusion

This study investigates one-sided and two-sided loop extrusion by SMC complexes, showing that one-sided extrusion cannot recapitulate in vivo observations but variants can, suggesting SMC complexes may function as two-sided motors or have biased loading.

Force-dependent facilitated dissociation can generate protein-DNA catch bonds

The paper develops a model showing that protein-DNA bonds can become catch bonds through facilitated dissociation, where competitor proteins enhance dissociation but forces suppress it by inhibiting competitor binding.

Limits of chromosome compaction by loop-extruding motors

The paper models chromosome compaction by loop-extruding motors and finds one-sided extrusion can only achieve ~10-fold compaction, suggesting other mechanisms are needed for full compaction.

Physicochemical mechanotransduction alters nuclear shape and mechanics via heterochromatin formation

This study shows that extracellular cations alter nuclear shape and mechanics through heterochromatin formation, rescuing nuclear morphology in disease models.

Chromatin histone modifications and rigidity affect nuclear morphology independent of lamins

The paper shows that chromatin histone modifications affect nuclear rigidity and morphology independently of lamins, inducing or suppressing nuclear blebs through changes in chromatin compaction.

Mechanics and buckling of biopolymeric shells and cell nuclei

This study uses simulations and experiments to show how biopolymeric shells and cell nuclei deform under tension, exhibiting different mechanical behaviors depending on force magnitude and temperature.

Facilitated Dissociation Of Transcription Factors From Single DNA Binding Sites

This study investigates facilitated dissociation (FD) of transcription factors from DNA binding sites using single-molecule imaging and molecular dynamics simulations, showing FD occurs at the single-binding-site level and is independent of salt concentration.