Ki-67 shapes the nucleolus by anchoring chromatin via its amphiphilic properties
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
The nucleolus, a membrane-less organelle essential for ribosome biogenesis, adopts variable shapes across cell types and in response to environmental conditions, yet the mechanisms regulating its morphology and functional implications remain unclear. Using a high-throughput screen, we identify the proliferation marker Ki-67 as a central regulator of nucleolar shape. Ki-67 localises to the chromatin-nucleolus interface, where its depletion induces nucleolar rounding and reduces chromatin enrichment both at the nucleolar rim and within internal invaginations. This effect is driven by Ki-67’s amphiphilic properties conferred by two distinct affinity domains separated by a spacer. Given that chromatin loss is a common feature of rounded nucleoli in our screen, and acute chromatin digestion also induces rounding, we propose that the chromatin environment in and around the nucleolus plays a key role in determining nucleolar shape. Our study elucidates a novel Ki-67-mediated chromatin anchoring mechanism, tightly linking nucleolar shape to genome organisation and expanding our understanding of condensate morphology.
Details
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 3156-3191 |
| Number of pages | 36 |
| Journal | EMBO Journal |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Early online date | 24 Mar 2026 |
| Publication status | Published - 5 May 2026 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
| PubMed | 41876741 |
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Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Amphiphilic properties, Biomolecular condensates, Heterochromatin, Ki-67, Nucleolus