PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yuji Itoh
AU  - Shiori Iida
AU  - Sachiko Tamura
AU  - Ryosuke Nagashima
AU  - Kentaro Shiraki
AU  - Tatsuhiko Goto
AU  - Kayo Hibino
AU  - Satoru Ide
AU  - Kazuhiro Maeshima
TI  - 1,6-hexanediol rapidly immobilizes and condenses chromatin in living human cells
AID  - 10.26508/lsa.202001005
DP  - 2021 Apr 01
TA  - Life Science Alliance
PG  - e202001005
VI  - 4
IP  - 4
4099  - https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/4/4/e202001005.short
4100  - https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/4/4/e202001005.full
SO  - Life Sci. Alliance2021 Apr 01; 4
AB  - Liquid droplets formed inside the cell by liquid–liquid phase separation maintain membrane-less condensates/bodies (or compartments). These droplets are important for concentrating certain molecules and facilitating spatiotemporal regulation of cellular functions. 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HD), an aliphatic alcohol, inhibits weak hydrophobic protein–protein/protein-RNA interactions required for the droplet formation (droplet melting activity) and is used here to elucidate the formation process of cytoplasmic/nuclear condensates/bodies. However, the effect of 1,6-HD on chromatin in living cells remains unclear. We found that 1,6-HD drastically suppresses chromatin motion and hyper-condenses chromatin in human cells by using live-cell single-nucleosome imaging, which detects changes in the state of chromatin. These effects were enhanced in a dose-dependent manner. Chromatin was “frozen” by 5%, or higher, concentrations of 1,6-HD. 1,6-HD greatly facilitated cation-dependent chromatin condensation in vitro. This 1,6-HD action is distinct from its melting activity of liquid droplets. Alcohols, such as 1,6-HD, appear to remove water molecules around chromatin and locally condense chromatin. Therefore, liquid droplet results obtained using 1,6-HD should be carefully interpreted or reconsidered when these droplets are associated with chromatin.