Molecular mechanism of the nuclear protein import cycle

amanda submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.nature.com)

The nuclear import of proteins through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) illustrates how a complex biological function can be generated by a spatially and temporally organized cycle of interactions between cargoes, carriers and the Ran GTPase. Recent work has given considerable insight into this process, especially about how interactions are coordinated and the basis for the molecular recognition that underlies the process.

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Can Hormones Alter Nuclear Permeability?

digiview submitted, created time 1 year 11 months (www.jbc.org)

Vasopressin and other hormones that increase cytosolic Ca2+ and activate protein kinase C increased permeability across the nuclear membrane. Localized photorelease of caged Ca2+ near the nuclear envelope resulted in a local increase in nuclear permeability. Neither activation nor inhibition of protein kinase C affected nuclear permeability. These findings provide evidence that hormones linking to certain G protein-coupled receptors increase nuclear permeability via cytosolic Ca2+.

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