scholarly journals Mouse models of nesprin-related diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 669-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Can Zhou ◽  
Li Rao ◽  
Derek T. Warren ◽  
Catherine M. Shanahan ◽  
Qiuping Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Scaffolding Proteins ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Spectrin Repeat ◽  
Autosomal Recessive Cerebellar Ataxia ◽  
Range Of Functions ◽  
And Migration

Nesprins (nuclear envelope spectrin repeat proteins) are a family of multi-isomeric scaffolding proteins. Nesprins form the LInker of Nucleoskeleton-and-Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex with SUN (Sad1p/UNC84) domain-containing proteins at the nuclear envelope, in association with lamin A/C and emerin, linking the nucleoskeleton to the cytoskeleton. The LINC complex serves as both a physical linker between the nuclear lamina and the cytoskeleton and a mechanosensor. The LINC complex has a broad range of functions and is involved in maintaining nuclear architecture, nuclear positioning and migration, and also modulating gene expression. Over 80 disease-related variants have been identified in SYNE-1/2 (nesprin-1/2) genes, which result in muscular or central nervous system disorders including autosomal dominant Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy and autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia type 1. To date, 17 different nesprin mouse lines have been established to mimic these nesprin-related human diseases, which have provided valuable insights into the roles of nesprin and its scaffold LINC complex in a tissue-specific manner. In this review, we summarise the existing nesprin mouse models, compare their phenotypes and discuss the potential mechanisms underlying nesprin-associated diseases.

scholarly journals A Balance Between Intermediate Filaments and Microtubules Maintains Nuclear Architecture in the Cardiomyocyte

2020 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Heffler ◽  
Parisha P. Shah ◽  
Patrick Robison ◽  
Sai Phyo ◽  
Kimberly Veliz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Intermediate Filaments ◽  
Genome Organization ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Spectrin Repeat ◽  
Balance Of Forces

Rationale: Mechanical forces are transduced to nuclear responses via the linkers of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex, which couples the cytoskeleton to the nuclear lamina and associated chromatin. While disruption of the LINC complex can cause cardiomyopathy, the relevant interactions that bridge the nucleoskeleton to cytoskeleton are poorly understood in the cardiomyocyte, where cytoskeletal organization is unique. Furthermore, while microtubules and desmin intermediate filaments associate closely with cardiomyocyte nuclei, the importance of these interactions is unknown. Objective: Here, we sought to determine how cytoskeletal interactions with the LINC complex regulate nuclear homeostasis in the cardiomyocyte. Methods and Results: To this end, we acutely disrupted the LINC complex, microtubules, actin, and intermediate filaments and assessed the consequences on nuclear morphology and genome organization in rat ventricular cardiomyocytes via a combination of super-resolution imaging, biophysical, and genomic approaches. We find that a balance of dynamic microtubules and desmin intermediate filaments is required to maintain nuclear shape and the fidelity of the nuclear envelope and lamina. Upon depletion of desmin (or nesprin [nuclear envelope spectrin repeat protein]-3, its binding partner in the LINC complex), polymerizing microtubules collapse the nucleus and drive infolding of the nuclear membrane. This results in DNA damage, a loss of genome organization, and broad transcriptional changes. The collapse in nuclear integrity is concomitant with compromised contractile function and may contribute to the pathophysiological changes observed in desmin-related myopathies. Conclusions: Disrupting the tethering of desmin to the nucleus results in a loss of nuclear homeostasis and rapid alterations to cardiomyocyte function. Our data suggest that a balance of forces imposed by intermediate filaments and microtubules is required to maintain nuclear structure and genome organization in the cardiomyocyte.

scholarly journals Nesprin-1/2: roles in nuclear envelope organisation, myogenesis and muscle disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Can Zhou ◽  
Li Rao ◽  
Catherine M. Shanahan ◽  
Qiuping Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Autosomal Dominant ◽  
Complex Function ◽  
Muscle Disease ◽  
Scaffolding Proteins ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Spectrin Repeat ◽  
Repeat Proteins ◽  
Cardiac Muscles ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Nesprins (nuclear envelope spectrin repeat proteins) are multi-isomeric scaffolding proteins. Nesprin-1 and -2 are highly expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles and together with SUN (Sad1p/UNC84) domain-containing proteins form the LInker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex at the nuclear envelope in association with lamin A/C and emerin. Mutations in nesprin-1/2 have been found in patients with autosomal dominant Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) as well as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Several lines of evidence indicate that compromised LINC complex function is the critical step leading to muscle disease. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the functions of nesprin-1/2 in the LINC complex and mechanistic insights into how mutations in nesprin-1/2 lead to nesprin-related muscle diseases, in particular DCM and EDMD.

scholarly journals LINCking the Nuclear Envelope to Sperm Architecture

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 658
Author(s):  
Francesco Manfrevola ◽  
Florian Guillou ◽  
Silvia Fasano ◽  
Riccardo Pierantoni ◽  
Rosanna Chianese
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Bridge Structure ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Head Formation ◽  
Morphological Maturation ◽  
Integral Proteins ◽  
Sun Domain

Nuclear architecture undergoes an extensive remodeling during spermatogenesis, especially at levels of spermatocytes (SPC) and spermatids (SPT). Interestingly, typical events of spermiogenesis, such as nuclear elongation, acrosome biogenesis, and flagellum formation, need a functional cooperation between proteins of the nuclear envelope and acroplaxome/manchette structures. In addition, nuclear envelope plays a key role in chromosome distribution. In this scenario, special attention has been focused on the LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex, a nuclear envelope-bridge structure involved in the connection of the nucleoskeleton to the cytoskeleton, governing mechanotransduction. It includes two integral proteins: KASH- and SUN-domain proteins, on the outer (ONM) and inner (INM) nuclear membrane, respectively. The LINC complex is involved in several functions fundamental to the correct development of sperm cells such as head formation and head to tail connection, and, therefore, it seems to be important in determining male fertility. This review provides a global overview of the main LINC complex components, with a special attention to their subcellular localization in sperm cells, their roles in the regulation of sperm morphological maturation, and, lastly, LINC complex alterations associated to male infertility.

scholarly journals Nuclear envelope rupture is induced by actin-based nucleus confinement

2016 ◽  
Vol 215 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Hatch ◽  
Martin W. Hetzer
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Nuclear Membrane ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Membrane Stability ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Actin Bundles ◽  
In Cells

Repeated rounds of nuclear envelope (NE) rupture and repair have been observed in laminopathy and cancer cells and result in intermittent loss of nucleus compartmentalization. Currently, the causes of NE rupture are unclear. Here, we show that NE rupture in cancer cells relies on the assembly of contractile actin bundles that interact with the nucleus via the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. We found that the loss of actin bundles or the LINC complex did not rescue nuclear lamina defects, a previously identified determinant of nuclear membrane stability, but did decrease the number and size of chromatin hernias. Finally, NE rupture inhibition could be rescued in cells treated with actin-depolymerizing drugs by mechanically constraining nucleus height. These data suggest a model of NE rupture where weak membrane areas, caused by defects in lamina organization, rupture because of an increase in intranuclear pressure from actin-based nucleus confinement.

scholarly journals A Glance at the Nuclear Envelope Spectrin Repeat Protein 3

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Liwei Liao ◽  
Rongmei Qu ◽  
Jun Ouang ◽  
Jingxing Dai
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Structural Protein ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Repeat Protein ◽  
Spectrin Repeat ◽  
Physiological Importance ◽  
Functional Perspective

Nuclear envelope spectrin repeat protein 3 (nesprin-3) is an evolutionarily-conserved structural protein, widely-expressed in vertebrate cells. Along with other nesprin family members, nesprin-3 acts as an essential component of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. Naturally, nesprin-3 shares many functions with LINC, including the localization of various cellular structures and bridging of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton, observed in vitro. When nesprin-3 was knocked down in vivo, using zebrafish and mouse models, however, the animals were minimally affected. This paradoxical observation should not limit the physiological importance of nesprin-3, as recently, nesprin-3 has reignited the interest of the research community in studies on cancer cells migration. Moreover, nesprin-3 also plays an active role in certain developmental conditions such as adipogenesis and spermatogenesis, although more studies are needed. Meanwhile, the various protein binding partners of nesprin-3 should also be emphasized, as they are necessary for maintaining the structure of nesprin-3 and enabling it to carry out its various physiological and pathological functions. Nesprin-3 promises to further our understanding of these complex cellular events. Therefore, this review will focus on nesprin-3, examining it from a genetic, structural, and functional perspective. The final part of the review will in turn address the limitations of existing research and the future perspectives for the study of nesprin-3.

scholarly journals Nuclear envelope organization in Dictyostelium discoideum

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (8-9-10) ◽  
pp. 509-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros Batsios ◽  
Ralph Gräf ◽  
Michael P. Koonce ◽  
Denis A. Larochelle ◽  
Irene Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Nuclear Membrane ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Major Constituent ◽  
Nuclear Pore ◽  
Nuclear Pore Complexes ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Family Protein ◽  
Import And Export ◽  
Pore Complexes

The nuclear envelope consists of the outer and the inner nuclear membrane, the nuclear lamina and the nuclear pore complexes, which regulate nuclear import and export. The major constituent of the nuclear lamina of Dictyostelium is the lamin NE81. It can form filaments like B-type lamins and it interacts with Sun1, as well as with the LEM/HeH-family protein Src1. Sun1 and Src1 are nuclear envelope transmembrane proteins involved in the centrosome-nucleus connection and nuclear envelope stability at the nucleolar regions, respectively. In conjunction with a KASH-domain protein, Sun1 usually forms a so-called LINC complex. Two proteins with functions reminiscent of KASH-domain proteins at the outer nuclear membrane of Dictyostelium are known; interaptin which serves as an actin connector and the kinesin Kif9 which plays a role in the microtubule-centrosome connector. However, both of these lack the conserved KASH-domain. The link of the centrosome to the nuclear envelope is essential for the insertion of the centrosome into the nuclear envelope and the appropriate spindle formation. Moreover, centrosome insertion is involved in permeabilization of the mitotic nucleus, which ensures access of tubulin dimers and spindle assembly factors. Our recent progress in identifying key molecular players at the nuclear envelope of Dictyostelium promises further insights into the mechanisms of nuclear envelope dynamics.

scholarly journals Decreased torsinA or LINC Complex Function Rescues a Laminopathy in Caenorhabditis elegans

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Huelgas-Morales ◽  
Mark Sanders ◽  
Gemechu Mekonnen ◽  
Tatsuya Tsukamoto ◽  
David Greenstein
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Complex Function ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Premature Aging ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Force Transmission ◽  
Complex Activity ◽  
Aaa Atpase ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Associated Proteins

AbstractThe function of the nucleus depends on the integrity of the nuclear lamina, an intermediate filament network associated with the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex spanning the nuclear envelope. In turn, the AAA+ ATPase torsinA regulates force transmission from the cytoskeleton to the nucleus. In humans, mutations affecting nuclear envelope-associated proteins cause laminopathies, including progeria, myopathy, and dystonia. We report that decreasing the function of the C. elegans torsinA homolog, OOC-5, rescues the sterility and premature aging caused by a null mutation in the single worm lamin homolog, lmn-1. Loss of OOC-5 activity prevents nuclear collapse in lmn-1 mutants by disrupting the function of the LINC complex. These results suggest that LINC complex-transmitted forces damage nuclei with a compromised nuclear lamina.One Sentence SummaryInhibiting LINC complex activity prevents a progeric syndrome in C. elegans.

scholarly journals Decreased mechanotransduction prevents nuclear collapse in aCaenorhabditis eleganslaminopathy

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (49) ◽  
pp. 31301-31308
Author(s):  
Gabriela Huelgas-Morales ◽  
Mark Sanders ◽  
Gemechu Mekonnen ◽  
Tatsuya Tsukamoto ◽  
David Greenstein
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Complex Function ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Premature Aging ◽  
Nuclear Pore ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Force Transmission ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
Aaa Atpase ◽  
C Elegans

The function of the nucleus depends on the integrity of the nuclear lamina, an intermediate filament network associated with the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. The LINC complex spans the nuclear envelope and mediates nuclear mechanotransduction, the process by which mechanical signals and forces are transmitted across the nuclear envelope. In turn, the AAA+ ATPase torsinA is thought to regulate force transmission from the cytoskeleton to the nucleus. In humans, mutations affecting nuclear envelope-associated proteins cause laminopathies, including progeria, myopathy, and dystonia, though the extent to which endogenous mechanical stresses contribute to these pathologies is unclear. Here, we use theCaenorhabditis elegansgermline as a model to investigate mechanisms that maintain nuclear integrity as germ cell nuclei progress through meiotic development and migrate for gametogenesis—processes that require LINC complex function. We report that decreasing the function of theC. eleganstorsinA homolog, OOC-5, rescues the sterility and premature aging caused by a null mutation in the single worm lamin homolog. We show that decreasing OOC-5/torsinA activity prevents nuclear collapse in lamin mutants by disrupting the function of the LINC complex. At a mechanistic level, OOC-5/torsinA promotes the assembly or maintenance of the lamin-associated LINC complex and this activity is also important for interphase nuclear pore complex insertion into growing germline nuclei. These results demonstrate that LINC complex-transmitted forces damage nuclei with a compromised nuclear lamina. Thus, the torsinA–LINC complex nexus might comprise a therapeutic target for certain laminopathies by preventing damage from endogenous cellular forces.

Nuclear lamina and regulation of nuclear envelofe structure

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 806-807
Author(s):  
Larry Gerace ◽  
Ueli Aebi ◽  
Brian Burke ◽  
Frank Suprynowicz
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Xenopus Oocytes ◽  
Nuclear Periphery ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Supramolecular Assembly ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Tetragonal Lattice

The nuclear lamina is a protein meshwork that lines the nucleoplasmic surface of the nuclear envelope. In numerous higher eukaryotic cells, the lamina is known to contain a polymer of 1-3 major polypeptides (“lamins“) that form an insoluble supramolecular assembly during interphase. The lamina is thought to provide both a skeletal framework for the nuclear envelope (that regulates its disassembly and reformation during mitosis) and an anchoring site at the nuclear periphery for interphase chromosomes. Recent structural and functional studies on the nuclear lamina have yielded important new insight on its roles in nuclear architecture.Using electron microscopy, we found that the nuclear lamina of Xenopus oocytes is a meshwork of intermediate-sized (8-12 nm) filaments arranged in a near-tetragonal lattice having a spacing of 52 nm.

scholarly journals Condensins Exert Force on Chromatin-Nuclear Envelope Tethers to Mediate Nucleoplasmic Reticulum Formation in Drosophila melanogaster

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianna Bozler ◽  
Huy Q Nguyen ◽  
Gregory C Rogers ◽  
Giovanni Bosco
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Chromatin Condensation ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Interphase Chromosome ◽  
Chromatin Compaction ◽  
Three Dimensional Structure ◽  
Nucleoplasmic Reticulum

Abstract Although the nuclear envelope is known primarily for its role as a boundary between the nucleus and cytoplasm in eukaryotes, it plays a vital and dynamic role in many cellular processes. Studies of nuclear structure have revealed tissue-specific changes in nuclear envelope architecture, suggesting that its three-dimensional structure contributes to its functionality. Despite the importance of the nuclear envelope, the factors that regulate and maintain nuclear envelope shape remain largely unexplored. The nuclear envelope makes extensive and dynamic interactions with the underlying chromatin. Given this inexorable link between chromatin and the nuclear envelope, it is possible that local and global chromatin organization reciprocally impact nuclear envelope form and function. In this study, we use Drosophila salivary glands to show that the three-dimensional structure of the nuclear envelope can be altered with condensin II-mediated chromatin condensation. Both naturally occurring and engineered chromatin-envelope interactions are sufficient to allow chromatin compaction forces to drive distortions of the nuclear envelope. Weakening of the nuclear lamina further enhanced envelope remodeling, suggesting that envelope structure is capable of counterbalancing chromatin compaction forces. Our experiments reveal that the nucleoplasmic reticulum is born of the nuclear envelope and remains dynamic in that they can be reabsorbed into the nuclear envelope. We propose a model where inner nuclear envelope-chromatin tethers allow interphase chromosome movements to change nuclear envelope morphology. Therefore, interphase chromatin compaction may be a normal mechanism that reorganizes nuclear architecture, while under pathological conditions, such as laminopathies, compaction forces may contribute to defects in nuclear morphology.

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