The product of the X-linked Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy gene is a protein called emerin, which is localized to the nuclear membrane. We have expressed full-length recombinant human emerin in an in vitro coupled reticulocyte system; it has a molecular mass of 34 kDa, inserts into microsomes in a type II orientation, and does not exhibit any N-linked glycosylation or cleavage event. Affinity-purified human emerin antiserum cross-reacts with the in vitro-expressed emerin and with a 34 kDa band present in a wide range of human tissue samples. Expression and subcellular distribution of emerin were studied in lymphoblastoid cell lines established from four patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy containing different mutations in the emerin gene. Emerin protein was detected in two of these patients by immunoblotting. In striking contrast to wild-type emerin, which was localized to the nuclear fraction and was insoluble in non-ionic detergents and high salt, emerin from these two patients exhibited a more random subcellular localization and increased solubility. On the basis of the mutations present in these patients, it would appear that emerin possesses two non-overlapping nuclear envelope targeting sequences. We have also demonstrated that emerin can occur in four different phosphorylated forms, three of which appear to be associated with the cell cycle. The mutant forms of emerin taken from the two patients exhibited aberrant cell cycle-dependent phosphorylated forms. This data suggests that for emerin to function normally it must be correctly localized, retained at the nuclear membrane and phosphorylated by cell cycle-mediated events.