Nuclear pore complex outer rings: No longer 'one size fits all'
Published Date: 6/12/2019
Source: phys.org
In eukaryotic cells, the nucleus is walled off from the rest of the cell by the nuclear envelope. All transport into and out of the nucleus occurs via cylindrical channels called nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) that penetrate the nuclear envelope. Each NPC is made up of eight repeating protein complexes containing at least 30 different types of proteins, called nucleoporins (Nups). These complexes fit together like the wedges of an orange, leaving a channel in the middle through which proteins, RNA, and signaling molecules can be transported.