UC Berkeley

The transmission of mechanical signals across the nuclear envelope is primarily mediated by linkers of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC complexes). These complexes bridge the inner and outer nuclear membrane and connect various elements of the cytoskeleton to the nucleoskeleton. Through their interaction with various cytoskeletal elements, LINC complexes repeatedly endure different types of mechanical loading. In this short review, we discuss the structural features of LINC complexes that allow them to withstand and transmit mechanical forces across the nuclear envelope, the types of mechanical forces on these complexes, and the consequences of these forces on the integrity of the nuclear envelope.