Abstract

Every eukaryote has a nucleus, a membrane-bound compartment that protects the genome, but each nucleus is different - in shape, size, molecular composition, architecture, and dynamics through the cell cycle. Given its universal functional roles at the heart of cellular life, why have eukaryotes evolved so many ways to organise and remodel the nucleus? We combine phylogenetics, quantitative cell biology and experimental evolution in multiple microbial model systems to provide a comparative, evolutionary perspective on nuclear dynamics and remodelling. I will discuss our recent findings in Ichthyosporean (animal relatives), slime mould, and fungal model systems, with implications for our understanding of the evolution of mitosis and nuclear remodelling.