Cell cycle variations in ADP-ribosylation of nuclear scaffold proteins were determined. Nuclei of synchronized cells were isolated and labeled with [32P]NAD before nuclear scaffolds were obtained by digestion of DNA with DNase I and extraction of proteins with 2M NaCl. Autoradiograms revealed the three groups of "lamins" and a species identified as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase to be the primary ADP-ribosylated proteins. The patterns of modification of nuclear scaffold proteins displayed similar features through the cell cycle. Radioactivity in the lamins increased from 20% in early-S phase to 40% in G1 phase of the next cell cycle.