Dysfunction of lamin A triggers a DNA damage response and cellular senescence

In higher eukaryotes, the nuclear lamins play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the nuclear envelope and the nucleus itself. Two recent papers show that a mutation that affects the processing of one of the nuclear lamins, lamin A, results in increased sensitivity to DNA damaging agents, an elevated DNA damage response, and a senescent phenotype. These studies underscore the role of the nuclear envelope in maintaining genomic stability and the interplay between nuclear architechture and the DNA damage response.