Farnesylated nuclear proteins Kugelkern and lamin Dm0 affect nuclear morphology by directly interacting with the nuclear membrane.
Nuclear shape changes are observed during a variety of developmental processes, pathological conditions, and ageing. The mechanisms underlying nuclear shape changes in the above-mentioned situations have mostly remained unclear. To address the molecular mechanism behind nuclear shape changes, we analyzed how the farnesylated nuclear envelope proteins Kugelkern and lamin Dm0 affect the structure of the nuclear membrane. We found that Kugelkern and lamin Dm0 affect nuclear shape without requiring filament formation or the presence of a classical nuclear lamina. We also could show that the two proteins do not depend on a group of selected inner nuclear membrane proteins for their localization to the nuclear envelope. Surprisingly, we found that farnesylated Kugelkern and lamin Dm0 protein constructs change the morphology of protein-free liposomes. Based on these findings, we propose that farnesylated proteins of the nuclear membrane induce nuclear shape changes by being asymmetrically inserted into the phospholipid bilayer via their farnesylated C-terminal part.
Polychronidou
Maria
M
Institut für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Hellwig
Andrea
A
Grosshans
Jörg
J
D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D034882:Lamins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism*; D034881:Nuclear Lamina / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D053140:Organelle Shape; D011485:Protein Binding; D017368:Protein Prenylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C440328:Lam protein, Drosophila; D034882:Lamins; D008081:Liposomes; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C511714:kuk protein, Drosophila