On the origin of shape fluctuations of the cell nucleus #MMPMID28900009
Chu FY; Haley SC; Zidovska A
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017[Sep]; 114 (39): 10338-43 PMID28900009show ga
While it is known that the shape and size of the cell nucleus change dramatically during the cell cycle, we find that the cell nucleus also exhibits subtle, but measurable, fast shape fluctuations at seconds. We find that the amplitude of these fluctuations systematically decreases during the cell cycle, thus serving as a reliable cell cycle stage indicator. Our findings show that the nucleus undergoes both thermally and actively driven undulations, the latter caused by forces from chromatin and cytoskeleton. Such undulations might affect gene regulation as well as aid the nuclear transport. Understanding the mechanism behind such undulations could prove critical for illuminating dynamic behavior of the nucleus in health and disease.