Nanostar-mediated nucleation and condensate-driven spatial organization of tiled DNA nanotubes

Modeling the spatial organization of filaments by liquid condensates is significant for understanding cytoskeletal architecture and engineering self-assembling systems. Here, we introduce a model system of DNA nanostar condensate and tiled DNA nanotubes with nanostar-binding domains for the study of condensate-based filament organization. We find the presence of the binding domains reduces the timescale of nanotube formation from hours to minutes, not as the consequence of condensate-mediated concentration but of multivalent nanostars in the dilute phase. Affinity for condensate is nevertheless a primary determinant of spatial organization of nanotubes, which anchor to and either localize in or radiate from the condensate. Our findings highlight the interplay between the affinity, multivalency and permeability of a condensate for filament forming subunits in determining its function as a filament organizing center and lay a foundation for experimental testing of associated hypotheses.