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© The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525/2002/10/198-b $5.00
The Journal of Cell Biology, Volume 159, Number 2, 198-b-198

Building the pore

A transporter is required for localization of a nucleoporin (white).

In examining how the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is assembled, Lusk et al., reporting on page 267, have identified a series of interactions that could help explain both the assembly and the operation of these important structures.

NPCs are built with nucleoporins and then used to traffic karyopherins, proteins that escort molecular cargoes through the nuclear pore. Most nucleoporins bind to multiple karyopherins, but the yeast nucleoporin Nup53p is an exception, interacting only with the karyopherin Kap121p. Taking advantage of this, the authors determined that Kap121p is required for the proper targeting and assembly of Nup53p into the nuclear pore. The data suggest that in addition to binding Nup53p at the pore during translocation, Kap121p can bind to Nup53p that is in the cytoplasm to transport it to the nuclear membrane. Since similar interactions between other karyopherins and nucleoporins could also occur, this may be a general mechanism of nuclear pore assembly.

The authors propose that, once at the pore, Nup53p gets pulled away from its Kap121p escort by competitive binding to the nucleoporin Nup170p. In addition to explaining one aspect of assembly, the model suggests a mechanism for releasing karyopherins from nucleoporins. Competition for nucleoporin binding between a karyopherin and another nucleoporin could allow the now freed karyopherin and its cargo to progress to another nucleoporin on their way into or out of the nucleus.

Alan W. Dove

alanwdove{at}earthlink.net

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This Article Full Text (PDF, 402K) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new content in the JCB Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dove, A. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dove, A. W. Related Collections Related Article Social Bookmarking                            What's this?