The nuclear envelope safeguards the genetic material inside the nucleus by separating it from the cytoplasm. Until recently, it was assumed that nuclear envelope (NE) breakdown occurs only in a highly controlled fashion during mitosis when the chromatin is condensed and divided between the daughter cells. However, recent studies have demonstrated that adherent and migrating cells exhibit transient NE rupture during interphase caused by compression from cytoskeletal or external forces. NE rupture results in uncontrolled exchange between the nuclear interior and cytoplasm and leads to DNA damage. In this review, we discuss the causes and consequences of NE rupture, and how NE rupture could contribute to genomic instability.
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