Cse1p-binding dynamics reveal a binding pattern for FG-repeat nucleoporins on transport receptors

Unlocking the Gateway: The Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of the p53 Family Driven by the Nuclear Pores and Its Implication for the Therapeutic Approach in Cancer

The p53 family remains a captivating focus of an extensive number of current studies. Accumulating evidence indicates that p53 abnormalities rank among the most prevalent in cancer. Given the numerous existing studies, which mostly focus on the mutations, expression profiles, and functional perturbations exhibited by members of the p53 family across diverse malignancies, this review will concentrate more on less explored facets regarding p53 activation and stabilization by the nuclear pore complex (NPC) in cancer, drawing on several studies. p53 integrates a broad spectrum of signals and is subject to diverse regulatory mechanisms to enact the necessary cellular response. It is widely acknowledged that each stage of p53 regulation, from synthesis to degradation, significantly influences its functionality in executing specific tasks. Over recent decades, a large body of data has established that mechanisms of regulation, closely linked with protein activation and stabilization, involve intricate interactions with various cellular components. These often transcend canonical regulatory pathways. This new knowledge has expanded from the regulation of genes themselves to epigenomics and proteomics, whereby interaction partners increase in number and complexity compared with earlier paradigms. Specifically, studies have recently shown the involvement of the NPC protein in such complex interactions, underscoring the further complexity of p53 regulation. Furthermore, we also discuss therapeutic strategies based on recent developments in this field in combination with established targeted therapies.

Emergence of selectivity and specificity in a coarse-grained model of the nuclear pore complex with sequence-agnostic FG-Nups

The role of hydrophobicity of phenylalanine-glycine nucleoporins (FG-Nups) in determining the transport of receptor-bound cargo across the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is investigated using Langevin dynamics simulations. A coarse-grained, minimal model of the NPC, comprising a cylindrical pore and hydrophobic-hydrophilic random copolymers for FG-Nups was employed. Karyopherin-bound receptor-cargo complexes (Kaps) were modeled as rigid, coarse-grained spheres without (inert) and with (patchy) FG-binding hydrophobic domains. With a sequence-agnostic description of FG-Nups and the absence of any anisotropies associated with either NPC or cargo, the model described tracer transport only as a function of FG-Nup hydrophobicity, f. The simulations showed the emergence of two important features of cargo transport, namely, NPC selectivity and specificity. NPC selectivity to patchy tracers emerged due to hydrophobic Kap-FG interactions and despite the sequence-agnostic description of FG-Nups. Furthermore, NPC selectivity was observed only in a specific range of FG-hydrophobic fraction, 0.05 ≤ f ≤ 0.20, resulting in specificity of NPC transport with respect to f. Significantly, this range corresponded to the number fraction of FG-repeats observed in both S. cerevisiae and H. sapiens NPCs. This established the central role of the FG-hydrophobic fraction in determining NPC transport, and provided a biophysical basis for conservation of the FG-Nup hydrophobic fraction across evolutionarily distant NPCs. Specificity in NPC transport emerged from the formation of a hydrogel-like network inside the pore with a characteristic mesh size dependent on f. This network rejected cargo for f > 0.2 based on size exclusion, which resulted in enhanced translocation probability for 0.05 ≤ f ≤ 0.20. Extended brush configurations outside the pore resulted in entropic repulsion and exclusion of inert cargo in this range. Thus, our minimal NPC model exhibited a hybrid cargo translocation mechanism, with aspects of both virtual gate and selective-phase models, in this range of FG-hydrophobic fraction.

Interaction of nucleoporins with nuclear transport receptors: a structural perspective

Soluble nuclear transport receptors and stationary nucleoporins are at the heart of the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery. A subset of nucleoporins contains characteristic and repetitive FG (phenylalanine-glycine) motifs, which are the basis for the permeability barrier of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) that controls transport of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. FG-motifs can interact with each other and/or with transport receptors, mediating their translocation across the NPC. The molecular details of homotypic and heterotypic FG-interactions have been analyzed at the structural level. In this review, we focus on the interactions of nucleoporins with nuclear transport receptors. Besides the conventional FG-motifs as interaction spots, a thorough structural analysis led us to identify additional similar motifs at the binding interface between nucleoporins and transport receptors. A detailed analysis of all known human nucleoporins revealed a large number of such phenylalanine-containing motifs that are not buried in the predicted 3D-structure of the respective protein but constitute part of the solvent-accessible surface area. Only nucleoporins that are rich in conventional FG-repeats are also enriched for these motifs. This additional layer of potential low-affinity binding sites on nucleoporins for transport receptors may have a strong impact on the interaction of transport complexes with the nuclear pore and, thus, the efficiency of nucleocytoplasmic transport.

Phase separation of FG-nucleoporins in nuclear pore complexes

The nuclear envelope (NE) is a bilayer membrane that separates and physically isolates the genetic material from the cytoplasm. Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are cylindrical structures embedded in the NE and remain the sole channel of communication between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The interior of NPCs contains densely packed intrinsically disordered FG-nucleoporins (FG-Nups), consequently forming a permeability barrier. This barrier facilitates the selection and specificity of the cargoes that are imported, exported, or shuttled through the NPCs. Recent studies have revealed that FG-Nups undergo the process of liquid-liquid phase separation into liquid droplets. Moreover, these liquid droplets mimic the permeability barrier observed in the interior of NPCs. This review highlights the phase separation of FG-Nups occurring inside the NPCs rooted in the NE. We discuss the phase separation of FG-Nups and compare the different aspects contributing to their phase separation. Furthermore, several diseases caused by the aberrant phase separation of the proteins are examined with respect to NEs. By understanding the fundamental process of phase separation at the nuclear membrane, the review seeks to explore the parameters influencing this phenomenon as well as its importance, ultimately paving the way for better research on the structure-function relationship of biomolecular condensates.

On the nuclear pore complex and its emerging role in cellular mechanotransduction

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a large protein assembly that perforates the nuclear envelope and provides a sole gateway for traffic between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. The NPC controls the nucleocytoplasmic transport by selectively allowing cargoes such as proteins and mRNA to pass through its central channel, thereby playing a vital role in protecting the nuclear component and regulating gene expression and protein synthesis. The selective transport through the NPC originates from its exquisite molecular structure featuring a large scaffold and the intrinsically disordered central channel domain, but the exact mechanism underlying the selective transport remains elusive and is the subject of various, often conflicting, hypotheses. Moreover, recent studies have suggested a new role for the NPC as a mechanosensor, where the NPC changes its channel diameter depending on the nuclear envelope tension, altering the molecular transportability through this nanopore. In this mini-review, we summarize the current understandings of the selective nature of the NPC and discuss its emerging role in cellular mechanotransduction.

Structure, Maintenance, and Regulation of Nuclear Pore Complexes: The Gatekeepers of the Eukaryotic Genome

In eukaryotic cells, the genetic material is segregated inside the nucleus. This compartmentalization of the genome requires a transport system that allows cells to move molecules across the nuclear envelope, the membrane-based barrier that surrounds the chromosomes. Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are the central component of the nuclear transport machinery. These large protein channels penetrate the nuclear envelope, creating a passage between the nucleus and the cytoplasm through which nucleocytoplasmic molecule exchange occurs. NPCs are one of the largest protein assemblies of eukaryotic cells and, in addition to their critical function in nuclear transport, these structures also play key roles in many cellular processes in a transport-independent manner. Here we will review the current knowledge of the NPC structure, the cellular mechanisms that regulate their formation and maintenance, and we will provide a brief description of a variety of processes that NPCs regulate.

Synergies of Single Molecule Fluorescence and NMR for the Study of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Single molecule fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) are two very powerful techniques for the analysis of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Both techniques have individually made major contributions to deciphering the complex properties of IDPs and their interactions, and it has become evident that they can provide very complementary views on the distance-dynamics relationships of IDP systems. We now review the first approaches using both NMR and single molecule fluorescence to decipher the molecular properties of IDPs and their interactions. We shed light on how these two techniques were employed synergistically for multidomain proteins harboring intrinsically disordered linkers, for veritable IDPs, but also for liquid–liquid phase separated systems. Additionally, we provide insights into the first approaches to use single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and NMR for the description of multiconformational models of IDPs.

Nucleoporins' exclusive amino acid sequence features regulate their transient interaction with and selectivity of cargo complexes in the nuclear pore

Nucleocytoplasmic traffic of nucleic acids and proteins across the nuclear envelop via the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) is vital for eukaryotic cells. NPCs screen transported macromolecules based on their morphology and surface chemistry. This selective nature of the NPC-mediated traffic is essential for regulating the fundamental functions of the nucleus, such as gene regulation, protein synthesis, and mechanotransduction. Despite the fundamental role of the NPC in cell and nuclear biology, the detailed mechanisms underlying how the NPC works have remained largely unknown. The critical components of NPCs enabling their selective barrier function are the natively unfolded phenylalanine- and glycine-rich proteins called “FG-nucleoporins” (FG Nups). These intrinsically disordered proteins are tethered to the inner wall of the NPC, and together form a highly dynamic polymeric meshwork whose physicochemical conformation has been the subject of intense debate. We observed that specific sequence features (called largest positive like-charge regions, or lpLCRs), characterized by extended subsequences that only possess positively charged amino acids, significantly affect the conformation of FG Nups inside the NPC. Here we investigate how the presence of lpLCRs affects the interactions between FG Nups and their interactions with the cargo complex. We combine coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations with time-resolved force distribution analysis to disordered proteins to explore the behavior of the system. Our results suggest that the number of charged residues in the lpLCR domain directly governs the average distance between Phe residues and the intensity of interaction between them. As a result, the number of charged residues within lpLCR determines the balance between the hydrophobic interaction and the electrostatic repulsion and governs how dense and disordered the hydrophobic network formed by FG Nups is. Moreover, changing the number of charged residues in an lpLCR domain can interfere with ultrafast and transient interactions between FG Nups and the cargo complex.

Free energy calculations shed light on the nuclear pore complex's selective barrier nature

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the exclusive gateway for traffic control across the nuclear envelope. Although smaller cargoes (less than 5-9 nm in size) can freely diffuse through the NPC, the passage of larger cargoes is restricted to those accompanied by nuclear transport receptors (NTRs). This selective barrier nature of the NPC is putatively associated with the intrinsically disordered, phenylalanine-glycine repeat-domains containing nucleoporins, termed FG-Nups. The precise mechanism underlying how FG-Nups carry out such an exquisite task at high throughputs has, however, remained elusive and the subject of various hypotheses. From the thermodynamics perspective, free energy analysis can be a way to determine cargo's transportability because the traffic through the NPC must be in the direction of reducing the free energy. In this study, we developed a computational model to evaluate the free energy composed of the conformational entropy of FG-Nups and the energetic gain associated with binding interactions between FG-Nups and NTRs and investigated whether these physical features can be the basis of NPC's selectivity. Our results showed that the reduction in conformational entropy by inserting a cargo into the NPC increased the free energy by an amount substantially greater than the thermal energy (≫kBT), whereas the free energy change was negligible ( Collapse

Key Words Collapse

MESH Headings

• Active Transport, Cell Nucleus
• Entropy
• Nuclear Pore/metabolism
• Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/metabolism
• Phenylalanine/metabolism

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Affiliation(s)

Atsushi Matsuda Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory, Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Mohammad R K Mofrad Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory, Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California; Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California.

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Physics of the Nuclear Pore Complex: Theory, Modeling and Experiment

The hallmark of eukaryotic cells is the nucleus that contains the genome, enclosed by a physical barrier known as the nuclear envelope (NE). On the one hand, this compartmentalization endows the eukaryotic cells with high regulatory complexity and flexibility. On the other hand, it poses a tremendous logistic and energetic problem of transporting millions of molecules per second across the nuclear envelope, to facilitate their biological function in all compartments of the cell. Therefore, eukaryotes have evolved a molecular "nanomachine" known as the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC). Embedded in the nuclear envelope, NPCs control and regulate all the bi-directional transport between the cell nucleus and the cytoplasm. NPCs combine high molecular specificity of transport with high throughput and speed, and are highly robust with respect to molecular noise and structural perturbations. Remarkably, the functional mechanisms of NPC transport are highly conserved among eukaryotes, from yeast to humans, despite significant differences in the molecular components among various species. The NPC is the largest macromolecular complex in the cell. Yet, despite its significant complexity, it has become clear that its principles of operation can be largely understood based on fundamental physical concepts, as have emerged from a combination of experimental methods of molecular cell biology, biophysics, nanoscience and theoretical and computational modeling. Indeed, many aspects of NPC function can be recapitulated in artificial mimics with a drastically reduced complexity compared to biological pores. We review the current physical understanding of the NPC architecture and function, with the focus on the critical analysis of experimental studies in cells and artificial NPC mimics through the lens of theoretical and computational models. We also discuss the connections between the emerging concepts of NPC operation and other areas of biophysics and bionanotechnology.

Physical modeling of multivalent interactions in the nuclear pore complex

In the nuclear pore complex, intrinsically disordered proteins (FG Nups), along with their interactions with more globular proteins called nuclear transport receptors (NTRs), are vital to the selectivity of transport into and out of the cell nucleus. Although such interactions can be modeled at different levels of coarse graining, in vitro experimental data have been quantitatively described by minimal models that describe FG Nups as cohesive homogeneous polymers and NTRs as uniformly cohesive spheres, in which the heterogeneous effects have been smeared out. By definition, these minimal models do not account for the explicit heterogeneities in FG Nup sequences, essentially a string of cohesive and noncohesive polymer units, and at the NTR surface. Here, we develop computational and analytical models that do take into account such heterogeneity in a minimal fashion and compare them with experimental data on single-molecule interactions between FG Nups and NTRs. Overall, we find that the heterogeneous nature of FG Nups and NTRs does play a role in determining equilibrium binding properties but is of much greater significance when it comes to unbinding and binding kinetics. Using our models, we predict how binding equilibria and kinetics depend on the distribution of cohesive blocks in the FG Nup sequences and of the binding pockets at the NTR surface, with multivalency playing a key role. Finally, we observe that single-molecule binding kinetics has a rather minor influence on the diffusion of NTRs in polymer melts consisting of FG-Nup-like sequences.

Role of Nucleoporins and Transport Receptors in Cell Differentiation

Bidirectional molecular movements between the nucleus and cytoplasm take place through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) embedded in the nuclear membrane. These macromolecular structures are composed of several nucleoporins, which form seven different subcomplexes based on their biochemical affinity. These nucleoporins are integral components of the complex, not only allowing passive transport but also interacting with importin, exportin, and other molecules that are required for transport of protein in various cellular processes. Transport of different proteins is carried out either dependently or independently on transport receptors. As well as facilitating nucleocytoplasmic transport, nucleoporins also play an important role in cell differentiation, possibly by their direct gene interaction. This review will cover the general role of nucleoporins (whether its dependent or independent) and nucleocytoplasmic transport receptors in cell differentiation.

Polymer translocation through a hairy channel mimicking the inner plug of a nuclear pore complex

A microscopic transport model of a polymer translocating through a nuclear pore complex (NPC) is presented based on self-consistent field theory (SCFT), with the NPC and its nucleoporins mimicked by a hairy channel. Multiple cell environment effects (electrolyte effect, excluded volume effect, NPC drag effect, and hydrophobic effect) are all considered in this hairy channel model. The influence of various parameters (polymer chain length, length of NPC, strength of hydrophobic effect, and excluded volume effect) on translocation time is studied through theoretical analysis and numerical calculation. Numerical simulation results show that an area of low nucleoporin number density exists in the NPC, which facilitates the translocation of the polymer. The results also show that the translocation time curves with increasing NPC length and polymer charge number are concave. In addition, there are critical values for NPC length and polymer charge number for which the translocation time has a minimal value. The translocation time decreases with the increasing strength of the hydrophobic effect and excluded volume effect.

Insights into the Structural Dynamics of Nucleocytoplasmic Transport of tRNA by Exportin-t

Exportin-t (Xpot) transports mature 5'- and 3'-end processed tRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm by associating with a small G-protein Ran (RAs-related nuclear protein), in the nucleus. The release of tRNA in cytoplasm involves RanGTP hydrolysis. Despite the availability of crystal structures of nuclear and cytosolic forms of Xpot, the molecular details regarding the sequential events leading to tRNA release and subsequent conformational changes occurring in Xpot remain unknown. We have performed a combination of classical all-atom and accelerated molecular dynamics simulations on a set of complexes involving Xpot to study a range of features including conformational flexibility of free and cargo-bound Xpot and functionally critical contacts between Xpot and its cargo. The systems investigated include free Xpot and its different complexes, bound either to Ran (GTP/GDP) or tRNA or both. This approach provided a statistically reliable estimate of structural dynamics of Xpot after cargo release. The mechanistic basis for Xpot opening after cargo release has been explained in terms of dynamic structural hinges, about which neighboring region could be displaced to facilitate the nuclear to cytosolic state transition. Post-RanGTP hydrolysis, a cascade of events including local conformational change in RanGTP and loss of critical contacts at Xpot/tRNA interface suggest factors responsible for eventual release of tRNA. The level of flexibility in different Xpot complexes varied depending on the arrangement of individual HEAT repeats. Current study provides one of the most comprehensive and robust analysis carried out on this protein using molecular dynamics schemes.

Rapid Brownian Motion Primes Ultrafast Reconstruction of Intrinsically Disordered Phe-Gly Repeats Inside the Nuclear Pore Complex

Conformational behavior of intrinsically disordered proteins, such as Phe-Gly repeat domains, alters drastically when they are confined in, and tethered to, nan channels. This has challenged our understanding of how they serve to selectively facilitate translocation of nuclear transport receptor (NTR)-bearing macromolecules. Heterogeneous FG-repeats, tethered to the NPC interior, nonuniformly fill the channel in a diameter-dependent manner and adopt a rapid Brownian motion, thereby forming a porous and highly dynamic polymeric meshwork that percolates in radial and axial directions and features two distinguishable zones: a dense hydrophobic rod-like zone located in the center, and a peripheral low-density shell-like zone. The FG-meshwork is locally disrupted upon interacting with NTR-bearing macromolecules, but immediately reconstructs itself between 0.44 μs and 7.0 μs, depending on cargo size and shape. This confers a perpetually-sealed state to the NPC, and is solely due to rapid Brownian motion of FG-repeats, not FG-repeat hydrophobic bonds. Elongated-shaped macromolecules, both in the presence and absence of NTRs, penetrate more readily into the FG-meshwork compared to their globular counterparts of identical volume and surface chemistry, highlighting the importance of the shape effects in nucleocytoplasmic transport. These results can help our understanding of geometrical effects in, and the design of, intelligent and responsive biopolymer-based materials in nanofiltration and artificial nanopores.

Impact of the crystallization condition on importin-β conformation

In eukaryotic cells, the exchange of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm is highly selective and requires specialized soluble transport factors. Many of them belong to the importin-β superfamily, the members of which share an overall superhelical structure owing to the tandem arrangement of a specific motif, the HEAT repeat. This structural organization leads to great intrinsic flexibility, which in turn is a prerequisite for the interaction with a variety of proteins and for its transport function. During the passage from the aqueous cytosol into the nucleus, the receptor passes the gated channel of the nuclear pore complex filled with a protein meshwork of unknown organization, which seems to be highly selective owing to the presence of FG-repeats, which are peptides with hydrophobic patches. Here, the structural changes of free importin-β from a single organism, crystallized in polar (salt) or apolar (PEG) buffer conditions, are reported. This allowed analysis of the structural changes, which are attributable to the surrounding milieu and are not affected by bound interaction partners. The importin-β structures obtained exhibit significant conformational changes and suggest an influence of the polarity of the environment, resulting in an extended conformation in the PEG condition. The significance of this observation is supported by SAXS experiments and the analysis of other crystal structures of importin-β deposited in the Protein Data Bank.

Slide-and-exchange mechanism for rapid and selective transport through the nuclear pore complex

Nucleocytoplasmic transport is mediated by the interaction of transport factors (TFs) with disordered phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats that fill the central channel of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). However, the mechanism by which TFs rapidly diffuse through multiple FG repeats without compromising NPC selectivity is not yet fully understood. In this study, we build on our recent NMR investigations showing that FG repeats are highly dynamic, flexible, and rapidly exchanging among TF interaction sites. We use unbiased long timescale all-atom simulations on the Anton supercomputer, combined with extensive enhanced sampling simulations and NMR experiments, to characterize the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of FG repeats and their interaction with a model transport factor. Both the simulations and experimental data indicate that FG repeats are highly dynamic random coils, lack intrachain interactions, and exhibit significant entropically driven resistance to spatial confinement. We show that the FG motifs reversibly slide in and out of multiple TF interaction sites, transitioning rapidly between a strongly interacting state and a weakly interacting state, rather than undergoing a much slower transition between strongly interacting and completely noninteracting (unbound) states. In the weakly interacting state, FG motifs can be more easily displaced by other competing FG motifs, providing a simple mechanism for rapid exchange of TF/FG motif contacts during transport. This slide-and-exchange mechanism highlights the direct role of the disorder within FG repeats in nucleocytoplasmic transport, and resolves the apparent conflict between the selectivity and speed of transport.

Energetics of Transport through the Nuclear Pore Complex

Molecular transport across the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells is solely controlled by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The NPC provides two types of nucleocytoplasmic transport: passive diffusion of small molecules and active chaperon-mediated translocation of large molecules. It has been shown that the interaction between intrinsically disordered proteins that line the central channel of the NPC and the transporting cargoes is the determining factor, but the exact mechanism of transport is yet unknown. Here, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to quantify the energy barrier that has to be overcome for molecules to pass through the NPC. We focus on two aspects of transport. First, the passive transport of model cargo molecules with different sizes is studied and the size selectivity feature of the NPC is investigated. Our results show that the transport probability of cargoes is significantly reduced when they are larger than ∼5 nm in diameter. Secondly, we show that incorporating hydrophobic binding spots on the surface of the cargo effectively decreases the energy barrier of the pore. Finally, a simple transport model is proposed which characterizes the energy barrier of the NPC as a function of diameter and hydrophobicity of the transporting particles.

Mechanistic Insights from Structural Analyses of Ran-GTPase-Driven Nuclear Export of Proteins and RNAs

Understanding how macromolecules are rapidly exchanged between the nucleus and the cytoplasm through nuclear pore complexes is a fundamental problem in biology. Exportins are Ran-GTPase-dependent nuclear transport factors that belong to the karyopherin-β family and mediate nuclear export of a plethora of proteins and RNAs, except for bulk mRNA nuclear export. Exportins bind cargo macromolecules in a Ran-GTP-dependent manner in the nucleus, forming exportin-cargo-Ran-GTP complexes (nuclear export complexes). Transient weak interactions between exportins and nucleoporins containing characteristic FG (phenylalanine-glycine) repeat motifs facilitate nuclear pore complex passage of nuclear export complexes. In the cytoplasm, nuclear export complexes are disassembled, thereby releasing the cargo. GTP hydrolysis by Ran promoted in the cytoplasm makes the disassembly reaction virtually irreversible and provides thermodynamic driving force for the overall export reaction. In the past decade, X-ray crystallography of some of the exportins in various functional states coupled with functional analyses, single-particle electron microscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and small-angle solution X-ray scattering has provided rich insights into the mechanism of cargo binding and release and also begins to elucidate how exportins interact with the FG repeat motifs. The knowledge gained from structural analyses of nuclear export is being translated into development of clinically useful inhibitors of nuclear export to treat human diseases such as cancer and influenza.

The molecular mechanism of nuclear transport revealed by atomic-scale measurements

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) form a selective filter that allows the rapid passage of transport factors (TFs) and their cargoes across the nuclear envelope, while blocking the passage of other macromolecules. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) containing phenylalanyl-glycyl (FG)-rich repeats line the pore and interact with TFs. However, the reason that transport can be both fast and specific remains undetermined, through lack of atomic-scale information on the behavior of FGs and their interaction with TFs. We used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to address these issues. We show that FG repeats are highly dynamic IDPs, stabilized by the cellular environment. Fast transport of TFs is supported because the rapid motion of FG motifs allows them to exchange on and off TFs extremely quickly through transient interactions. Because TFs uniquely carry multiple pockets for FG repeats, only they can form the many frequent interactions needed for specific passage between FG repeats to cross the NPC.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10027.001

Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus that contains most of the organism's genetic material. Two layers of membrane form an envelope around the nucleus and protect its contents from the rest of the cell's interior. However, this protective barrier must also allow certain proteins and nucleic acids(collectively called ‘cargo’) to move in and out of the nucleus.

Cargo molecules can pass through channel-like structures called nuclear pore complexes, which are embedded in the nuclear envelope. However, transport across this barrier is highly selective. While small molecules can pass freely through nuclear pore complexes, larger cargo can only be transported when they are bound to so-called transport factors. The nuclear pore complex is a large structure made up of more than 30 different proteins called nucleoporins. Like all proteins, nucleoporins are built from amino acids. Many nucleoporins contain repeating units of two amino acids, namely phenylalanine (which is often referred to as ‘F’) and glycine (or ‘G’). These ‘FG nucleoporins’ are found on the inside of the nuclear pore complex and interact with transport factors to allow them to transit across the nuclear envelope.

Several models have been put forward to explain how FG nucleoporins block the passage of most molecules. But it was unclear from these models how these nucleoporins could do this while simultaneously allowing the selective and fast transport of nuclear transport receptors. There was also a major lack of experimental data that probed the behavior of FG nucleoporins in detail.

Hough, Dutta et al. have now used a technique called nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (or NMR for short) to address this issue. NMR can be used to analyze the structure of proteins and how they interact with other molecules. This analysis revealed that FG nucleoporins never adopt an ordered three-dimensional shape, even briefly; instead they remain unfolded or disordered, moving constantly. Nevertheless, and unlike many other unfolded proteins, FG nucleoporins do not aggregate into clumps. This is because they are constantly changing and continuously interacting with other molecules present inside the cell, which prevents them from aggregating.

Hough, Dutta et al. also observed that the repeating units in the FG nucleoporins engaged briefly with a large number of sites or pockets present on the transport factors. These FG repeats can bind and then release the transport factors at unusually high speeds, which enables the transport factors to move quickly through the nuclear pore complex. This transit is specific because only transport factors have a high capacity for interacting with the FG repeats. These findings provide an explanation for how the nuclear pore complex achieves fast and selective transport. Further work is needed to see whether certain FG nucleoporins specifically interact with a particular type of transport factor, to provide preferred transport routes through the nuclear pore complex.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10027.002

Nuclear Pore Complexes and Nucleocytoplasmic Transport: From Structure to Function to Disease

Nucleocytoplasmic transport is an essential cellular activity and occurs via nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) that reside in the double membrane of the nuclear envelope. Significant progress has been made during the past few years in unravelling the ultrastructural organization of NPCs and their constituents, the nucleoporins, by cryo-electron tomography and X-ray crystallography. Mass spectrometry and genomic approaches have provided deeper insight into the specific regulation and fine tuning of individual nuclear transport pathways. Recent research has also focused on the roles nucleoporins play in health and disease, some of which go beyond nucleocytoplasmic transport. Here we review emerging results aimed at understanding NPC architecture and nucleocytoplasmic transport at the atomic level, elucidating the specific function individual nucleoporins play in nuclear trafficking, and finally lighting up the contribution of nucleoporins and nuclear transport receptors in human diseases, such as cancer and certain genetic disorders.

The interaction of CRM1 and the nuclear pore protein Tpr

While much has been devoted to the study of transport mechanisms through the nuclear pore complex (NPC), the specifics of interactions and binding between export transport receptors and the NPC periphery have remained elusive. Recent work has demonstrated a binding interaction between the exportin CRM1 and the unstructured carboxylic tail of Tpr, on the nuclear basket. Strong evidence suggests that this interaction is vital to the functions of CRM1. Using molecular dynamics simulations and a newly refined method for determining binding regions, we have identified nine candidate binding sites on CRM1 for C-Tpr. These include two adjacent to RanGTP--from which one is blocked in the absence of RanGTP--and three next to the binding region of the cargo Snurportin. We report two additional interaction sites between C-Tpr and Snurportin, suggesting a possible role for Tpr import into the nucleus. Using bioinformatics tools we have conducted conservation analysis and functional residue prediction investigations to identify which parts of the obtained binding sites are inherently more important and should be highlighted. Also, a novel measure based on the ratio of available solvent accessible surface (RASAS) is proposed for monitoring the ligand/receptor binding process.

Assembly of Nsp1 nucleoporins provides insight into nuclear pore complex gating

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) form gateways for material transfer across the nuclear envelope of eukaryotic cells. Disordered proteins, rich in phenylalanine-glycine repeat motifs (FG-nups), form the central transport channel. Understanding how nups are arranged in the interior of the NPC may explain how NPC functions as a selectivity filter for transport of large molecules and a sieve-like filter for diffusion of small molecules (< or ). We employed molecular dynamics to model the structures formed by various assemblies of one kind of nup, namely the 609-aa-long FG domain of Nsp1 (Nsp1-FG). The simulations started from different initial conformations and geometrical arrangements of Nsp1-FGs. In all cases Nsp1-FGs collectively formed brush-like structures with bristles made of bundles of 2–27 nups, however, the bundles being cross-linked through single nups leaving one bundle and joining a nearby one. The degree of cross-linking varies with different initial nup conformations and arrangements. Structural analysis reveals that FG-repeats of the nups not only involve formation of bundle structures, but are abundantly present in cross-linking regions where the epitopes of FG-repeats are highly accessible. Large molecules that are assisted by transport factors (TFs) are selectively transported through NPC apparently by binding to FG-nups through populated FG-binding pockets on the TF surface. Therefore, our finding suggests that TFs bind concertedly to multiple FGs in cross-linking regions and break-up the bundles to create wide pores for themselves and their cargoes to pass. In addition, the cross-linking between Nsp1-FG bundles, arising from simulations, is found to set a molecular size limit of < for passive diffusion of molecules. Our simulations suggest that the NPC central channel, near the periphery where tethering of nups is dominant, features brush-like moderately cross-linked bundles, but in the central region, where tethering loses its effect, features a sieve-like structure of bundles and frequent cross-links.

Cells of higher life forms separate their genomes from the rest of the cell in a nucleus that surrounds the genome by a nuclear envelope. Hundreds of pores, each a complex made of many proteins, assure traffic into and out of the nucleus through highly selective transport: small biomolecules can pass unhindered, whereas large biomolecules need to associate with proteins called transport factors, to pass. Little is known about how the nuclear pore complexes function, a key impediment to observation being their huge size and the disordered nature of the pore interior. We investigated computationally what kind of structure the nuclear pore proteins (nups) form. In the computation we place many nups, each a 600 amino acid-long protein, into arrangements considered representative for the nuclear pore, and simulate the subsequent molecular behavior. We find that the nups form bundles of 2–27 proteins, the bundles being cross-linked when a single nup leaves a bundle and joins an adjacent one. The finding suggests an adaptive molecular mesh arrangement of nups in the nuclear pore and explains how selective transport is accomplished, namely that passage of sufficiently small molecules is unhindered by the cross-linking, but that large molecules need the assistance of transport factors to melt the cross-linking.

Physical modelling of the nuclear pore complex

An in-depth discussion of nuclear pore complexes illustrates the importance of macromolecular confinement in biological systems.

Physically interesting behaviour can arise when soft matter is confined to nanoscale dimensions. A highly relevant biological example of such a phenomenon is the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC) found perforating the nuclear envelope of eukaryotic cells. In the central conduit of the NPC, of ∼30–60 nm diameter, a disordered network of proteins regulates all macromolecular transport between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In spite of a wealth of experimental data, the selectivity barrier of the NPC has yet to be explained fully. Experimental and theoretical approaches are complicated by the disordered and heterogeneous nature of the NPC conduit. Modelling approaches have focused on the behaviour of the partially unfolded protein domains in the confined geometry of the NPC conduit, and have demonstrated that within the range of parameters thought relevant for the NPC, widely varying behaviour can be observed. In this review, we summarise recent efforts to physically model the NPC barrier and function. We illustrate how attempts to understand NPC barrier function have employed many different modelling techniques, each of which have contributed to our understanding of the NPC.

Functional architecture of the nuclear pore complex

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the sole gateway between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. NPCs fuse the inner and outer nuclear membranes to form aqueous translocation channels that allow the free diffusion of small molecules and ions, as well as receptor-mediated transport of large macromolecules. The NPC regulates nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules, utilizing soluble receptors that identify and present cargo to the NPC, in a highly selective manner to maintain cellular functions. The NPC is composed of multiple copies of approximately 30 different proteins, termed nucleoporins, which assemble to form one of the largest multiprotein assemblies in the cell. In this review, we address structural and functional aspects of this fundamental cellular machinery.

Several phenylalanine-glycine motives in the nucleoporin Nup214 are essential for binding of the nuclear export receptor CRM1

Nucleoporins containing phenylalanine glycine (FG) repeats play an important role in nucleocytoplasmic transport as they bind to transport receptors and mediate translocation of transport complexes across the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Nup214/CAN, a nucleoporin that is found at the cytoplasmic side of the NPC, interacts with both import and export receptors. In functional assays, dominant-negative fragments of Nup214 inhibited CRM1-dependent nuclear export, as the export receptor became rate-limiting. Several nuclear import pathways, by contrast, were not affected by the Nup214 fragments. We now characterize the CRM1-binding region of Nup214 in detail and identify several FG motives that are required for this interaction. Our results support a model where CRM1, like other transport receptors, contacts FG-Nups via multiple binding sites.

Nucleocytoplasmic transport: a role for nonspecific competition in karyopherin-nucleoporin interactions

Nucleocytoplasmic transport occurs through the nuclear pore complex (NPC), which in yeast is a ~50 MDa complex consisting of ~30 different proteins. Small molecules can freely exchange through the NPC, but macromolecules larger than ~40 kDa must be aided across by transport factors, most of which belong to a related family of proteins termed karyopherins (Kaps). These transport factors bind to the disordered phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeat domains in a family of NPC proteins termed FG nups, and this specific binding allows the transport factors to cross the NPC. However, we still know little in terms of the molecular and kinetic details regarding how this binding translates to selective passage of transport factors across the NPC. Here we show that the specific interactions between Kaps and FG nups are strongly modulated by the presence of a cellular milieu whose proteins appear to act as very weak competitors that nevertheless collectively can reduce Kap/FG nup affinities by several orders of magnitude. Without such modulation, the avidities between Kaps and FG nups measured in vitro are too tight to be compatible with the rapid transport kinetics observed in vivo. We modeled the multivalent interactions between the disordered repeat binding sites in the FG nups and multiple cognate binding sites on Kap, showing that they should indeed be sensitive to even weakly binding competitors; the introduction of such competition reduces the availability of these binding sites, dramatically lowering the avidity of their specific interactions and allowing rapid nuclear transport.

'Natively unfolded' nucleoporins in nucleocytoplasmic transport: clustered or evenly distributed?

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) acts as a selective gate that mediates the bidirectional transport of macromolecules between the cytoplasm and the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. 'Natively unfolded' nucleoporins (Nups) with domains rich in phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats form the selective permeability barrier and provide binding sites for mobile transport receptors in the NPC. Understanding the structure and function of the FG-Nups barrier under real-time trafficking conditions is still a formidable challenge due to the dynamic nature of a channeled membranous environment. Recently, we have shown that three-dimensional (3D) density maps of transient interactions between the FG-Nups barrier and a cargo-free or a cargo-bound transport receptor in native NPCs can be obtained by an advanced single-molecule fluorescence microscopy approach. Moreover, we found that these interaction sites are spatially clustered into distinct groups in the periphery around a central axial channel with a diameter of approximately 10-20 nm in the NPC. The 3D distribution of interaction sites may indicate some native properties of the FG-Nups barrier. Here we speculate that the selective permeability barrier in the NPC could be formed by clustered FG-Nups.

OSBP-related protein 8 (ORP8) regulates plasma and liver tissue lipid levels and interacts with the nucleoporin Nup62

We earlier identified OSBP-related protein 8 (ORP8) as an endoplasmic reticulum oxysterol-binding protein implicated in cellular lipid homeostasis. We now investigated its action in hepatic cells in vivo and in vitro. Adenoviral overexpression of ORP8 in mouse liver induced a decrease of cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides in serum (−34%, −26%, −37%, respectively) and liver tissue (−40%, −12%, −24%), coinciding with reduction of nuclear (n)SREBP-1 and -2 and mRNA levels of their target genes. Consistently, excess ORP8 reduced nSREBPs in HuH7 cells, and ORP8 overexpression or silencing by RNA interference moderately suppressed or induced the expression of SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 target genes, respectively. In accordance, cholesterol biosynthesis was reduced by ORP8 overexpression and enhanced by ORP8 silencing in [³H]acetate pulse-labeling experiments. ORP8, previously shown to bind 25-hydroxycholesterol, was now shown to bind also cholesterol in vitro. Yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and co-immunoprecipitation analyses revealed the nuclear pore component Nup62 as an interaction partner of ORP8. Co-localization of ORP8 and Nup62 at the nuclear envelope was demonstrated by BiFC and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, the impact of overexpressed ORP8 on nSREBPs and their target mRNAs was inhibited in cells depleted of Nup62. Our results reveal that ORP8 has the capacity to modulate lipid homeostasis and SREBP activity, probably through an indirect mechanism, and provide clues of an entirely new mode of ORP action.

Perturbation of host nuclear membrane component RanBP2 impairs the nuclear import of human immunodeficiency virus -1 preintegration complex (DNA)

HIV-1 is a RNA virus that requires an intermediate DNA phase via reverse transcription (RT) step in order to establish productive infection in the host cell. The nascent viral DNA synthesized via RT step and the preformed viral proteins are assembled into pre-integration complex (PIC) in the cell cytoplasm. To integrate the viral DNA into the host genome, the PIC must cross cell nuclear membrane through the nuclear pore complex (NPC). RanBP2, also known as Nup358, is a major component of the cytoplasmic filaments that emanates from the nuclear pore complex and has been implicated in various nucleo-cytoplasmic transport pathways including those for HIV Rev-protein. We sought to investigate the role of RanBP2 in HIV-1 replication. In our investigations, we found that RanBP2 depletion via RNAi resulted in profound inhibition of HIV-1 infection and played a pivotal role in the nuclear entry of HIV DNA. More precisely, there was a profound decline in 2-LTR DNA copies (marker for nuclear entry of HIV DNA) and an unchanged level of viral reverse transcription in RanBP2-ablated HIV-infected cells compared to RanBP3-depleted or non-specific siRNA controls. We further demonstrated that the function of Rev was unaffected in RanBP2-depleted latently HIV infected cells (reactivated). We also serendipitously found that RanBP2 depletion inhibited the global ectopic gene expression. In conclusion, RanBP2 is a host factor that is involved in the nuclear import of HIV-1 PIC (DNA), but is not critical to the nuclear export of the viral mRNAs or nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of Rev. RanBP2 could be a potential target for efficient inhibition of HIV.

Permeating the nuclear pore complex

The extensive and multifaceted traffic between nucleus and cytoplasm is handled by a single type of macromolecular assembly called the nuclear pore complex (NPC). While being readily accessible to ions and metabolites, the NPC imposes stringent selectivity on the passage of proteins and RNA, tightly regulating their traffic between the two major cellular compartments. Here we discuss how shuttling carriers, which mediate the transport of macromolecules through NPCs, cross its permeability barrier. We also discuss the co-existence of receptor-mediated macromolecular transport with the passive diffusion of small molecules in the context of the various models suggested for the permeability barrier of the NPC. Finally, we speculate on how nuclear transport receptors negotiate the dependence of their NPC-permeating abilities on hydrophobic interactions with the necessity of avoiding these promiscuous interactions in the cytoplasm and nucleus.

Hydrophilic linkers and polar contacts affect aggregation of FG repeat peptides

Transport of large proteins into the nucleus involves two events, binding of the cargo protein to a transport receptor in the cytoplasm and passage of the cargo-transporter complex through the selective permeability barrier of the nuclear pore complex. The permeability barrier is formed by largely disordered polypeptides, each containing a number of conserved hydrophobic phenylalanine-glycine (FG) sequence motifs, connected by hydrophilic linkers of varying sequence (FG nups). How the motifs interact to form the permeability barrier, however, is not yet known. We have, therefore, carried out molecular dynamics simulations on various model FG repeat peptides to study the aggregation propensity of FG nups and the specific roles of the hydrophobic FG motifs and the hydrophilic linkers. Our simulations show spontaneous aggregation of the model nups into hydrated aggregates, which exhibit structural features assumed to be part of the permeability barrier. Our simulations suggest that short beta-sheets are an important structural feature of the aggregates and that Phe residues are sufficiently exposed to allow rapid binding of transport receptors. A surprisingly large influence of the amino acid composition of the hydrophilic linkers on aggregation is seen, as well as a major contribution of hydrogen-bonding patterns.

Probing a structural model of the nuclear pore complex channel through molecular dynamics

The central pore of a nuclear pore complex (NPC) is filled with unstructured proteins that contain many FG-repeats separated by hydrophilic regions. An example of such protein is nsp1. By simulating an array of nsp1 segments, we identified, in an earlier study, a spontaneously formed brushlike structure that promises to explain selective transport in the NPC channel. Here we report four (350,000 atom, 200 ns) simulations probing this structure via its interaction with transport receptor NTF2 as well as with an inert protein. NTF2 dimers are observed to gradually enter the brush, but the inert protein is not. Both NTF2 and the inert protein are found to bind to FG-repeats, but binding periods lasted more briefly for the inert protein. A simulation also investigated the behavior of a brush made of mutant nsp1 that is known to be less effective in NPC-selective transport, finding that this brush does not attract NTF2.

Flexible gates: dynamic topologies and functions for FG nucleoporins in nucleocytoplasmic transport

The nuclear envelope is a physical barrier between the nucleus and cytoplasm and, as such, separates the mechanisms of transcription from translation. This compartmentalization of eukaryotic cells allows spatial regulation of gene expression; however, it also necessitates a mechanism for transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Macromolecular trafficking of protein and RNA occurs exclusively through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), specialized channels spanning the nuclear envelope. A novel family of NPC proteins, the FG-nucleoporins (FG-Nups), coordinates and potentially regulates NPC translocation. The extensive repeats of phenylalanine-glycine (FG) in each FG-Nup directly bind to shuttling transport receptors moving through the NPC. In addition, FG-Nups are essential components of the nuclear permeability barrier. In this review, we discuss the structural features, cellular functions, and evolutionary conservation of the FG-Nups.

Functionalization of a nanopore: the nuclear pore complex paradigm

Biological cells maintain a myriad of nanopores which, although relying on the same basic small-hole principle, serve a large variety of functions. Here we consider how the nuclear pore complex (NPC), a large nanopore mediating the traffic between genetic material and protein synthesizing apparatus, is functionalized to carry out a set of transport functions. A major parameter of NPC functionalization is a lining of it external and internal surfaces with so-called phenylalanine glycine (FG) proteins. FG proteins integrate a multitude of transport factor binding sites into intrinsically disordered domains. This surprising finding has given rise to a number of transport models assigning direct gating functions to FG proteins. However, recent data suggest that the properties of FG proteins cannot be properly assessed by considering only the purified, transport-factor-stripped NPC. At physiological conditions transport factors may shape FG proteins in a way allotting an essential role to surface diffusion, reconciling tight binding with efficient transport. Thus, NPC studies are revealing both general traits and novel aspects of nanopore functionalization. In addition, they inspire artificial molecule sorters for proteomic and pharmaceutical applications.

Global motions of the nuclear pore complex: insights from elastic network models

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the gate to the nucleus. Recent determination of the configuration of proteins in the yeast NPC at approximately 5 nm resolution permits us to study the NPC global dynamics using coarse-grained structural models. We investigate these large-scale motions by using an extended elastic network model (ENM) formalism applied to several coarse-grained representations of the NPC. Two types of collective motions (global modes) are predicted by the ENMs to be intrinsically favored by the NPC architecture: global bending and extension/contraction from circular to elliptical shapes. These motions are shown to be robust against tested variations in the representation of the NPC, and are largely captured by a simple model of a toroid with axially varying mass density. We demonstrate that spoke multiplicity significantly affects the accessible number of symmetric low-energy modes of motion; the NPC-like toroidal structures composed of 8 spokes have access to highly cooperative symmetric motions that are inaccessible to toroids composed of 7 or 9 spokes. The analysis reveals modes of motion that may facilitate macromolecular transport through the NPC, consistent with previous experimental observations.

Cargo surface hydrophobicity is sufficient to overcome the nuclear pore complex selectivity barrier

To fulfil their function, nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) must discriminate between inert proteins and nuclear transport receptors (NTRs), admitting only the latter. This specific permeation is thought to depend on interactions between hydrophobic patches on NTRs and phenylalanine-glycine (FG) or related repeats that line the NPC. Here, we tested this premise directly by conjugating different hydrophobic amino-acid analogues to the surface of an inert protein and examining its ability to cross NPCs unassisted by NTRs. Conjugation of as few as four hydrophobic moieties was sufficient to enable passage of the protein through NPCs. Transport of the modified protein proceeded with rates comparable to those measured for the innate protein when bound to an NTR and was relatively insensitive both to the nature and density of the amino acids used to confer hydrophobicity. The latter observation suggests a non-specific, small, and plant interaction network between cargo and FG repeats.

Translocation through the nuclear pore: Kaps pave the way

Transport through the nuclear pore complex (NPC), a keystone of the eukaryotic building plan, is known to involve a large channel and an abundance of phenylalanine-glycine (FG) protein domains serving as binding sites for soluble nuclear transport receptors and their cargo complexes. However, the conformation of the FG domains in vivo, their arrangement in relation to the transport channel and their function(s) in transport are still vividly debated. Here, we revisit a number of representative transport models-specifically Brownian affinity gating, selective phase gating, reversible FG domain collapse, and reduction of dimensionality (ROD)-in the light of new data obtained by optical single transporter recording, optical superresolution microscopy, artificial nanopores, and many other techniques. The analysis suggests that a properly adapted, simplified version of the ROD model accounts well for the available data. This has implications for nucleocytoplasmic transport in general.

Structural analysis of the nuclear pore complex by integrated approaches

In eukaryotic cells, the nucleus is surrounded by a double membrane system, the nuclear envelope (NE), in which the outer membrane is continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) fuse the inner and outer nuclear membranes to form aqueous translocation channels that allow the free diffusion of small molecules and ions, as well as receptor-mediated transport of large macromolecules. Being the sole gateways for import and export to and from the nucleus, NPCs regulate the nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules in a highly selective manner to maintain cellular functions. The large size and complexity of these multimolecular assemblies, which are composed of approximately 30 different proteins (termed nucleoporins), present a major challenge for structural biologists. Here, we discuss the latest structural findings related to the functional organization of the NPC.

Transport-related structures and processes of the nuclear pore complex studied through molecular dynamics

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are selectively gated pathways between nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. Whereas small molecules can diffuse freely through NPCs, large molecules (>40 kD) can pass only when bound to transport receptors. The NPC central channel is filled with disordered proteins, rich in phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats, referred to as FG-nups. Our simulations, carried out at coarse-grained and all-atom levels, show that arrays of FG-nups tethered to a planar surface, at an FG-repeat density found in the NPC, form dynamic brush-like structures of multiprotein bundles, whereas individual FG-nups form dynamic globular structures. More than half of the FG-repeats are found on the surface of the bundles, offering a favorable environment for transport receptors. Binding to FG-repeats and a sliding motion of NTF2 induced by binding and unbinding to phenylalanines were observed when adding this transport receptor into one of the brush-like structures.

Scaling and self-organized criticality in proteins II

The complexity of proteins is substantially simplified by regarding them as archetypical examples of self-organized criticality (SOC). To test this idea and to elaborate it, this article applies the Moret-Zebende (MZ) SOC hydrophobicity scale to transport repeat proteins of the HEAT superfamily, importin beta, and transportin, as well as the export protein Cse1p, and their ubiquitous cargo manager Ran. The difference between the MZ scale and conventional hydrophobicity scales reflects long-range conformational forces that are central to protein functionality. These compete with long-range Coulomb forces associated with cationic and anionic side chains in a revealing way.

Structure, dynamics and function of nuclear pore complexes

Nuclear pore complexes are large aqueous channels that penetrate the nuclear envelope, thereby connecting the nuclear interior with the cytoplasm. Until recently, these macromolecular complexes were viewed as static structures, the only function of which was to control the molecular trafficking between the two compartments. It has now become evident that this simplistic scenario is inaccurate and that nuclear pore complexes are highly dynamic multiprotein assemblies involved in diverse cellular processes ranging from the organization of the cytoskeleton to gene expression. In this review, we discuss the most recent developments in the nuclear-pore-complex field, focusing on the assembly, disassembly, maintenance and function of this macromolecular structure.

Towards reconciling structure and function in the nuclear pore complex

The spatial separation between the cytoplasm and the cell nucleus necessitates the continuous exchange of macromolecular cargo across the double-membraned nuclear envelope. Being the only passageway in and out of the nucleus, the nuclear pore complex (NPC) has the principal function of regulating the high throughput of nucleocytoplasmic transport in a highly selective manner so as to maintain cellular order and function. Here, we present a retrospective review of the evidence that has led to the current understanding of both NPC structure and function. Looking towards the future, we contemplate on how various outstanding effects and nanoscopic characteristics ought to be addressed, with the goal of reconciling structure and function into a single unified picture of the NPC.

Biology and biophysics of the nuclear pore complex and its components

Nucleocytoplasmic exchange of proteins and ribonucleoprotein particles occurs via nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) that reside in the double membrane of the nuclear envelope (NE). Significant progress has been made during the past few years in obtaining better structural resolution of the three-dimensional architecture of NPC with the help of cryo-electron tomography and atomic structures of domains from nuclear pore proteins (nucleoporins). Biophysical and imaging approaches have helped elucidate how nucleoporins act as a selective barrier in nucleocytoplasmic transport. Nucleoporins act not only in trafficking of macromolecules but also in proper microtubule attachment to kinetochores, in the regulation of gene expression and signaling events associated with, for example, innate and adaptive immunity, development and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent research has also been focused on the dynamic processes of NPC assembly and disassembly that occur with each cell cycle. Here we review emerging results aimed at understanding the molecular arrangement of the NPC and how it is achieved, defining the roles of individual nucleoporins both at the NPC and at other sites within the cell, and finally deciphering how the NPC serves as both a barrier and a conduit of active transport.

Gate-Crashing the Nuclear Pore Complex

As a third in a series of MD simulations investigating the binding dynamics between nuclear transport receptors and FG-repeats, Isgro and Schulten (2007b) unveil that close, physical intimacy between partners is likely to ensure a hassle-free passage through the nuclear pore complex.