Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Nov 11.
Published in final edited form as: J Mol Biol. 2020 Oct 12;432(23):6028–6041. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.09.019

Fig. 9. Working model for the role of a self-locked apo-SUN form in LINC-Complex maturation.

Fig. 9.

SUN proteins and Nesprins are separately inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the outer nuclear membrane (ONM) (step1). SUN proteins have to travel past the nuclear pore complex (NPC) to the inner nuclear membrane (INM) before they can functionally engage with ONM-localized Nesprins. Premature binding to Nesprins in the ER would lead to aberrant LINC complexes (crossed out red). A self-locked, hexameric apo-SUN (step 2) would prevent Nesprin engagement in the ER and could be used to safely chaperone SUN to the INM (step 3) where it will properly engage with Nesprins (step 4).