This article reviews the research on the inner nuclear membrane protein lam
in B receptor (LBR). It focuses on the biochemical and immunological eviden
ce 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-hyb
rid screens and co-immunoprecipitation to identify interacting proteins; an
d the probing of nuclear assembly and disassembly in living cells with LBR-
GFP fusion proteins. The article concludes by considering a scenario whereb
y LBR levels might even regulate gene expression.