Cell News 3
&
4/2016
9
Session 2: Martin Beck
"Mechanisms of Nucleocytoplasmic Exchange"
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are fundamental components
of all eukaryotic cells. They span the nuclear envelope and
mediate nucleocytoplasmic exchange. In addition, NPCs have
various non-canonical functions. They are involved in the regu-
lation of gene expression, translational control, DNA repair and
are of high human health relevance.
NPCs are huge and deeply rooted in their native environment
of the fused inner and outer nuclear membranes. They are
composed of multiple copies of about 30 nucleoporins. A
considerable fraction of nucleoporin domains is intrinsically
disordered and very transiently interacts with cargo comple-
xes during their translocation. These properties render NPCs
challenging to study.
Recent technological advances in imaging and single mo-
lecule techniques have facilitated striking new insights not
only into the structure and assembly of the NPC but also the
actual transport mechanism. These findings highlight how
various NPC building blocks come together in context of the
nuclear membranes and locally confine the distinct biophysical
properties of nucleoporins in the central channel of the NPC to
facilitate highly specific and efficient transport by a multitude
of interactions.
Confirmed Speakers:
Wolfram Antonin, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max
Planck Society, Tübingen
Profile:
Martin Beck is a group leader at the European Molecular
Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany. His laboratory uses
integrated, in situ structure determination techniques to study
the architecture and function of nuclear pore complexes.
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