Nuclear Organisation

Dear Colleagues,

The nucleus is a fascinating organelle of eukaryotic cells. It contains and organises the chromosomes, which implies that many biological processes depend on nuclear organisation, as well as regulated communication between the nucleus and its surrounding organelles and cytoplasm. The aim of this Special Issue of Cells is to provide a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge about the nucleus, spanning from the structure and function of the nuclear envelope to the three-dimensional organisation of chromosomes in territories and domains. Both fundamental aspects of cell biology and mechanisms to ensure and utilise cell type-specific nuclear organisation will be addressed by specialists that exploit a wide variety of genetical, biochemical, and genomics methods across different organisms.

Nuclear organisation is also highly relevant from a biomedical viewpoint. Since the discovery that mutations in nuclear envelope proteins cause a pleiotropy of severe human diseases, including muscular dystrophies, bone disorders, neuropathies, and even premature ageing, many efforts have been devoted to understanding the protective, scaffolding, and regulatory roles of the nuclear envelope. Modern advances in genomics have revealed that perturbations in the discrete folding of chromatin in topologically associating domains can also have profound effects during development. Most recently, multidisciplinary approaches have begun to unravel the principles underlying the segregation of heterochromatin from euchromatin—a separation that was already appreciated in early microscopy studies but is now better understood by employing epigenetics and biophysical tools. By integrating up-to-date insight from these different areas, we are in an unprecedented position to recognise the dynamics and implications of the incredible complexity found within our nuclei. 

Dr. Peter Askjaer
Guest Editor

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