Lamin B locks up Oct-1January 12, 2009A large fraction of the transcription factor Oct-1 is associated with the inner nuclear envelope, but how and why it is retained there was unknown. As for how, Malhas et al. show-in the January 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (www.jcb.org)-that Oct-1 binds to lamin B1, a prominent intermediate filament that lines the nuclear envelope, and in cells expressing a drastically truncated mutant of lamin B1, Oct-1 was disassociated from the nuclear envelope. This left the question, why? The authors asked whether disrupting lamin B1-Oct-1 interactions could affect the expression of genes regulated by Oct-1. Indeed, in cells with truncated lamin B1, they found that expression of several Oct-1-regulated genes was altered because more Oct-1 could bind at these genes' promoters. Among the genes was a group involved in the oxidative stress response. As a result, these mutant cells accumulated higher levels of reactive oxygen species than wild-type cells. It remains to be seen whether and how lamin B1-Oct-1 interactions are actively regulated in cells to help control gene expression. But, it is evident from these results that perturbation of lamin B1-Oct-1 interactions can make cells more vulnerable to oxidative stress. This could be particularly important in aging cells, where nuclear envelope integrity (and lamin B1 localization) is often perturbed, says author David Vaux. Lamins support the structure of the nucleus, and compromised nuclear structure has been a suspected cause of aging; another type of lamin, lamin A, is known to cause a premature aging disease when faulty. Increased production of reactive oxygen species-due to the perturbation of lamin B1 in mature cells-could be another way in which lamins contribute to the aging process. Rockefeller University Press |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Nuclear Envelope Current Events and Nuclear Envelope News Articles Chromosomes dance and pair up on the nuclear membrane Meiosis - the pairing and recombination of chromosomes, followed by segregation of half to each egg or sperm cell - is a major crossroads in all organisms reproducing sexually. Visualizing virus replication in 3 dimensions Dengue fever is the most common infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes - some 100 million people around the world are infected. Researchers at the Hygiene Institute at Heidelberg University Hospital were the first to present a three-dimensional model of the location in the human cell where the virus is reproduced. Cell division studies hint at future cancer therapy When a cell's assets get divided between daughter cells, Dr. Quansheng Du wants to make sure both offspring do well. Microtubule protein interactions visualized en masse In a new study published online in the open access journal PLoS Biology, Philipp Niethammer, Eric Karsenti, and colleagues investigate the regulation of microtubule dynamics via application of their new method, called visual immunoprecipitation (VIP), which enables simultaneous visualization of multiple protein interactions in cell extracts. New clues to how sex evolves Sex is a boon to evolution; it allows genetic material from parents to recombine, giving rise to a unique new genome. But how did sex itself evolve\\\ UVA studies potential target for skin cancer treatment When normal skin cells become a melanoma tumor, they sometimes turn on genes not usually found in the skin. NYU biologists identify gene that coordinates two cellular processes A team of biologists at New York University's Center for Comparative Functional Genomics has uncovered a dual role for the gene mel-28. The gene plays a part in ensuring that chromosomes are divided properly during cell division and it is required for nuclear envelope function. Researchers solve mystery of how nuclear pores duplicate before cell division Researchers have long wondered how nuclear pores - the all-important channels that control the flow of information in and out of a cell's nucleus - double in number to prepare for the split to come when a cell divides. Movement of chromosome in nucleus visualized The cell is understood to be highly organized, with specialized areas for different functions and molecular motors shuttling components around. Genetics of muscular dystophy Various forms of human muscular dystrophy result from mutations in genes encoding proteins of the nuclear envelope. A new paper in the February 15th issue of G&D reveals how. More Nuclear Envelope Current Events and Nuclear Envelope News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||