Control of gene expression and accurate cell division are of paramount importance to all forms of life and involve extensive interactions between proteins and chromatin. In eukaryotic cells, access to the genome is controlled by the nuclear envelope (NE), which serves as a selective permeability barrier and chromatin organizer. Taking advantage of the genetic amenability of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans we are probing the dynamics of interactions between the NE and the genome during development and across genetic backgrounds that mimic human pathogenic situations.
We also focus our attention on nuclear pore proteins and their role in chromosome segregation and NE biogenesis. For instance, we have recently discovered an interaction between the nucleoporin NUP107/NPP-5 and the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint protein MAD1.