The Plant Nucleoskeleton

Abstract

The nucleoskeleton (NSK) is the dynamic nuclear network that provides support for nuclear organization and functioning. It is composed of numerous interacting structural proteins that provide a dynamic platform for the multimeric nuclear complexes involved in the regulation of replication, transcription/splicing, chromatin remodelling, nuclear transport, signalling, formation of structural elements, etc. Its protein composition is complex. Its main components are the lamins and the laminassociated proteins (LAPs) that form a multimeric complex or lamina; the long expandable proteins of the endoskeleton such as EAST, megator, skeletor, chromator and nuance; and actin and its associated proteins; while the nucleolar domain has its own organization and composition . This chapter focuses on the organization, composition and roles of the nucleoskeleton and summarizes the data on the organization and specific protein composition of the plant nucleoskeleton.