Ascribing functions to the lamin B receptor

This article reviews the research on the inner nuclear membrane protein lamin B receptor (LBR). It focuses on the biochemical and immunological evidence for an LBR; the cloning of chicken, rat and human LBR cDNAs and genomic sequences; the lamin B-, chromatin- , DNA- and NLS-binding properties of the N-terminal domain and its phosphorylation by different kinases; the sterol C-14 reductase activity of the C-terminal domain; the use of yeast two-hybrid screens and co-immunoprecipitation to identify interacting proteins; and the probing of nuclear assembly and disassembly in living cells with LBR-GFP fusion proteins. The article concludes by considering a scenario whereby LBR levels might even regulate gene expression.