Figure 1.

Thermodynamic mechanisms of recognition at a distance. Contacts between genomically distal polymer sites (1) can be established by different thermodynamics routes. Clusters of bridging molecules (binders), according to their concentrations and affinities, can spontaneously aggregate in the nucleoplasm (2) or nucleate at binding sites along the polymer chain (3), eventually producing stable contacts between those sites (4). Such thermodynamic phase transition mechanisms could explain how distal recognition and physical proximity are established and controlled between, e.g., gene promoters and their enhancers. To see this figure in color, go online.