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Review
. 2012 Feb;24(1):71-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2011.11.007. Epub 2011 Dec 20.

The functions of the nuclear envelope in mediating the molecular crosstalk between the nucleus and the cytoplasm

Takeshi Shimi  1 , Veronika Butin-Israeli, Robert D Goldman
Affiliations
Review

The functions of the nuclear envelope in mediating the molecular crosstalk between the nucleus and the cytoplasm

Takeshi Shimi et al. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Recent studies of the nuclear envelope (NE) have emphasized its role in linking the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of mammalian cells. The inner face of the NE is bound to chromatin and this interaction is involved in regulating DNA replication and transcription. The outer face of the NE binds to different components of the cytoskeleton, and these interactions are involved in nuclear positioning. Many disease causing mutations in genes encoding NE proteins cause significant changes in nuclear architecture and cytoskeletal interactions with the NE. These mutations are also providing important new insights into nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
An overview of nuclear envelope (NE) connections with chromatin,and the cytoskeletal systems. The NE consists of the inner and outer nuclear membrane (INM, ONM), nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and the lamina. The ONM is continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). NPCs cross the INM, ONM, the lamina and are associated with chromatin. A-type lamins (LA, LC) and B-type lamins (LB1, LB2) in the lamina bind to INM proteins such as emerin, lamina-associated polypeptide 2β (LAP2β), lamin B receptor (LBR) and SUN domain proteins (SUN1, SUN2) in the INM. All of the lamins and some of the INM proteins interact with chromatin. SUN1 and SUN2 bind to the KASH domain of nesprins in the luminal region between the INM and ONM to form the LINC complex. Nesprins in the ONM bind to cytoskeletal filaments such as actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments (IFs) directly or indirectly through plectin or kinesin. Actin and IFs are associated with the plasma membrane through integrin complexes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Keratin-containing tonofibrils are distributed throughout the cytoplasm and surround, and are perhaps attached to the NE of a PtK2 rat kangaroo epithelial cell. This cell, expressing GFP-Keratin 18 (green), was fixed and immunostained with lamin A/C (red) antibody. Figure represents a projection of z-stack images obtained by confocal microscopy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The localization of lamins A/C and B1 in skin fibroblasts taken from a normal individual (left) and a patient with the HGPS mutation (G608G) in LMNA (right). These cells were fixed and immunostained with antibodies against lamin A/C (red) and lamin B1 (green). Note the separation of the A and B-type lamins in the blebbed regions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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