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Zhang L, Liu N, Wang X. Probe the nanoparticle-nucleus interaction via coarse-grained molecular model. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:30319-30329. [PMID: 37908190 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02981f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The present study reports on a computational model that systematically evaluates the effect of physical factors, including size, surface modification, and rigidity, on the nuclear uptake of nanoparticles (NPs). The NP-nucleus interaction is a crucial factor in biomedical applications such as drug delivery and cellular imaging. While experimental studies have provided evidence for the influence of size, shape, and surface modification on nuclear uptake, theoretical investigations on how these physical factors affect the entrance of NPs through the nuclear pore are lacking. Our results demonstrate that larger NPs require a higher amount of energy to enter the nucleus compared to smaller NPs. This highlights the importance of size as a critical factor in NP design for nuclear uptake. Additionally, surface modification of NPs can impact the nuclear uptake pathway, indicating the potential for tailored NP design for specific applications. Notably, our findings also reveal that the rigidity of NPs has a significant effect on the transport process. The interplay between physicochemical properties and nuclear pore is found to determine nuclear uptake efficiency. Taken together, our study provides new insights into the design of NPs for precise and controllable NP-nucleus interaction, with potential implications for the development of efficient and targeted drug delivery systems and imaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Liu
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China.
| | - Xianqiao Wang
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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2
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A role for nuclear stretching and NPCs changes in the cytoplasmic-nuclear trafficking of YAP: An experimental and numerical modelling approach. Mater Today Bio 2022; 15:100335. [PMID: 35813578 PMCID: PMC9263995 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical forces, acting on eukaryotic cells, are responsible for cell shape, cell proliferation, cell polarity, and cell differentiation thanks to two cells abilities known as mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. Mechanosensing consists of the ability of a cell to sense mechanical cues, while mechanotransduction is the capacity of a cell to respond to these signals by translating mechanical stimuli into biochemical ones. These signals propagate from the extracellular matrix to the nucleus with different well known physical connections, but how the mechanical signals are transduced into biochemical ones remains an open challenge. Recent findings showed that the cell-generated forces affect the translocation of transcription factors (TFs) from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. This mechanism is affected by the features of nuclear pore complexes. Owing to the complex patterns of strains and stresses of the nuclear envelope caused by cytoskeletal forces, it is likely that the morphology of NPC changes as cytoskeleton assemblies’ change. This may ultimately affect molecular transport through the nucleus, hence altering cell functions. Among the various TFs, Yes-associated protein (YAP), which is typically involved in cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation, is able to activate specific pathways when entrapped into the cell nucleus. Here, starting from experimental results, we develop a multiscale finite element (FE) model aimed to simulate the macroscopic cell spreading and consequent changes in the cell mechanical behaviour to be related to the NPCs changes and YAP nuclear transport.
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3
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Potekhina Y, Filatova A, Tregubova E, Mokhov D. Mechanosensitivity of Cells and Its Role in the Regulation of Physiological Functions and the Implementation of Physiotherapeutic Effects (Review). Sovrem Tekhnologii Med 2020; 12:77-89. [PMID: 34795996 PMCID: PMC8596276 DOI: 10.17691/stm2020.12.4.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory signals in the body are not limited to chemical and electrical ones. There is another type of important signals for cells: those are mechanical signals (coming from the environment or arising from within the body), which have been less known in the literature. The review summarizes new information on the mechanosensitivity of various cells of connective tissue and nervous system. Participation of mechanical stimuli in the regulation of growth, development, differentiation, and functioning of tissues is described. The data focus on bone remodeling, wound healing, neurite growth, and the formation of neural networks. Mechanotransduction, cellular organelles, and mechanosensitive molecules involved in these processes are discussed as well as the role of the extracellular matrix. The importance of mechanical characteristics of cells in the pathogenesis of diseases is highlighted. Finally, the possible role of mechanosensitivity in mediating the physiotherapeutic effects is addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu.P. Potekhina
- Professor, Department of Normal Physiology named after N.Y. Belenkov; Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky Square, Nizhny Novgorod, 603005, Russia
| | - A.I. Filatova
- Student, Faculty of Pediatrics; Privolzhsky Research Medical University, 10/1 Minin and Pozharsky Square, Nizhny Novgorod, 603005, Russia
| | - E.S. Tregubova
- Professor, Department of Osteopathy; North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, 41 Kirochnaya St., Saint Petersburg, 191015, Russia; Associate Professor, Institute of Osteopathy; Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - D.E. Mokhov
- Head of the Department of Osteopathy; North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, 41 Kirochnaya St., Saint Petersburg, 191015, Russia; Director of the Institute of Osteopathy Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
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4
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Boeri L, Jacchetti E, Soncini M, Negro A, Albani D, Raimondi MT. Advantages and limitations of a supernegative GFP in facilitating MyoD intracellular tracking. Methods Appl Fluoresc 2020; 8:025007. [PMID: 32092706 DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/ab797c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite intracellular molecular dynamics being fundamental to understand pathological, biomechanical or biochemical events, several processes are still not clear because of the difficulty of monitoring and measuring these phenomena. To engineer an effective fluorescent tool useful to improve protein intracellular tracking studies, we fused a supernegative green fluorescent protein, (-30)GFP, to a myogenic transcription factor, MyoD. The (-30)GFP-MyoD was able to pass the plasma membrane when complexed with cationic lipids. Fluorescence confocal microscopy showed the protein delivery in just 3 hours with high levels of protein transduction efficiency. Confocal acquisitions also confirmed the maintenance of the MyoD nuclear localization. To examine how the supernegative GFP influenced MyoD activity, we did gene expression analyses, which showed an inhibitory effect of (-30)GFP on transcription factor function. This negative effect was possibly due to a charge-driven interference mechanism, as suggested by further investigations by molecular dynamics simulations. Summarizing these results, despite the functional limitations related to the charge structural characteristics that specifically affected MyoD function, we found (-30)GFP is a suitable fluorescent label for improving protein intracellular tracking studies, such as nucleocytoplasmic transport in mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Boeri
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering 'Giulio Natta', Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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5
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Boeri L, Albani D, Raimondi MT, Jacchetti E. Mechanical regulation of nucleocytoplasmic translocation in mesenchymal stem cells: characterization and methods for investigation. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:817-831. [PMID: 31628607 PMCID: PMC6815268 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00594-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immune-modulatory and tissue-regenerative properties that make them a suitable and promising tool for cell-based therapy application. Since the bio-chemo-mechanical environment influences MSC fate and behavior, the understanding of the mechanosensors involved in the transduction of mechanical inputs into chemical signals could be pivotal. In this context, the nuclear pore complex is a molecular machinery that is believed to have a key role in force transmission and in nucleocytoplasmic shuttling regulation. To fully understand the nuclear pore complex role and the nucleocytoplasmic transport dynamics, recent advancements in fluorescence microscopy provided the possibility to study passive and facilitated nuclear transports also in mechanically stimulated cell culture conditions. Here, we review the current available methods for the investigation of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, including photo-perturbation-based approaches, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and single-particle tracking techniques. For each method, we analyze the advantages, disadvantages, and technical limitations. Finally, we summarize the recent knowledge on mechanical regulation of nucleocytoplasmic translocation in MSC, the relevant progresses made so far, and the future perspectives in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Boeri
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20123, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Teresa Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20123, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Jacchetti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20123, Milan, Italy.
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6
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Zhang L, Becton MD, Liu N, Averett RD, Pidaparti RM, Wang X. Physiochemical Effects of Nanoparticles on Cell Nuclear Complex Pore Transport: A Coarse-Grained Computational Model. J Chem Theory Comput 2019; 15:6382-6392. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liuyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
| | - Matthew D. Becton
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Ning Liu
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Rodney D. Averett
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Ramana M. Pidaparti
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Xianqiao Wang
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
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7
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Donnaloja F, Jacchetti E, Soncini M, Raimondi MT. Mechanosensing at the Nuclear Envelope by Nuclear Pore Complex Stretch Activation and Its Effect in Physiology and Pathology. Front Physiol 2019; 10:896. [PMID: 31354529 PMCID: PMC6640030 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell fate is correlated to mechanotransduction, in which forces transmitted by the cytoskeleton filaments alter the nuclear shape, affecting transcription factor import/export, cells transcription activity and chromatin distribution. There is in fact evidence that stem cells cultured in 3D environments mimicking the native niche are able to maintain their stemness or modulate their cellular function. However, the molecular and biophysical mechanisms underlying cellular mechanosensing are still largely unclear. The propagation of mechanical stimuli via a direct pathway from cell membrane integrins to SUN proteins residing in the nuclear envelop has been demonstrated, but we suggest that the cells’ fate is mainly affected by the force distribution at the nuclear envelope level, where the SUN protein transmits the stimuli via its mechanical connection to several cell structures such as chromatin, lamina and the nuclear pore complex (NPC). In this review, we analyze the NPC structure and organization, which have not as yet been fully investigated, and its plausible involvement in cell fate. NPC is a multiprotein complex that spans the nuclear envelope, and is involved in several key cellular processes such as bidirectional nucleocytoplasmic exchange, cell cycle regulation, kinetochore organization, and regulation of gene expression. As several connections between the NPC and the nuclear envelope, chromatin and other transmembrane proteins have been identified, it is reasonable to suppose that nuclear deformations can alter the NPC structure. We provide evidence that the transmission of mechanical forces may significantly affects the basket conformation via the Nup153-SUN1 connection, both altering the passage of molecules through it and influencing the state of chromatin packing. Finally, we review the known correlations between a pathological NPC structure and diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disease, aging and laminopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Donnaloja
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta," Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - E Jacchetti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta," Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - M Soncini
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - M T Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta," Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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8
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García-González A, Jacchetti E, Marotta R, Tunesi M, Rodríguez Matas JF, Raimondi MT. The Effect of Cell Morphology on the Permeability of the Nuclear Envelope to Diffusive Factors. Front Physiol 2018; 9:925. [PMID: 30057558 PMCID: PMC6053530 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent advance in understanding stem cell differentiation is that the cell is able to translate its morphology, i.e., roundish or spread, into a fate decision. We hypothesize that strain states in the nuclear envelope (NE) cause changes in the structure of the nuclear pore complexes. This induces significant changes in the NE's permeability to the traffic of the transcription factors involved in stem cell differentiation which are imported into the nucleus by passive diffusion. To demonstrate this, we set up a numerical model of the transport of diffusive molecules through the nuclear pore complex (NPC), on the basis of the NPC deformation. We then compared the prediction of the model for two different cell configurations with roundish and spread nuclear topologies with those measured on cells cultured in both configurations. To measure the geometrical features of the NPC, using electron tomography we reconstructed three-dimensional portions of the envelope of cells cultured in both configurations. We found non-significant differences in both the shape and size of the transmembrane ring of single pores with envelope deformation. In the numerical model, we thus assumed that the changes in pore complex permeability, caused by the envelope strains, are due to variations in the opening configuration of the nuclear basket, which in turn modifies the porosity of the pore complex mainly on its nuclear side. To validate the model, we cultured cells on a substrate shaped as a spatial micro-grid, called the “nichoid,” which is nanoengineered by two-photon laser polymerization, and induces a roundish nuclear configuration in cells adhering to the nichoid grid, and a spread configuration in cells adhering to the flat substrate surrounding the grid. We then measured the diffusion through the nuclear envelope of an inert green-fluorescent protein, by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Finally, we compared the diffusion times predicted by the numerical model for roundish vs. spread cells, with the measured times. Our data show that cell stretching modulates the characteristic time needed for the nuclear import of a small inert molecule, GFP, and the model predicts a faster import of diffusive molecules in the spread compared to roundish cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto García-González
- Laboratori de Càlcul Numèric, E.T.S. de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - (UPC BarcelonaTech), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emanuela Jacchetti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineeering "Giulio Natta, " Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Marotta
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marta Tunesi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineeering "Giulio Natta, " Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Unità di Ricerca Consorzio INSTM, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - José F Rodríguez Matas
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineeering "Giulio Natta, " Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela T Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineeering "Giulio Natta, " Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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9
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Li X, Kang P, Chen Z, Lal S, Zhang L, Gassensmith JJ, Qin Z. Rock the nucleus: significantly enhanced nuclear membrane permeability and gene transfection by plasmonic nanobubble induced nanomechanical transduction. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:2479-2482. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cc09613e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanomechanical transduction increases permeability of the nuclear membrane and facilitates nuclear uptake of macromolecules that would otherwise not enter the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuying Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
| | - Peiyuan Kang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
| | - Sneha Lal
- Department of Biological Sciences
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
| | - Jeremiah J. Gassensmith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas
| | - Zhenpeng Qin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson
- USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas
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10
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Fal K, Asnacios A, Chabouté ME, Hamant O. Nuclear envelope: a new frontier in plant mechanosensing? Biophys Rev 2017; 9:389-403. [PMID: 28801801 PMCID: PMC5578935 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In animals, it is now well established that forces applied at the cell surface are propagated through the cytoskeleton to the nucleus, leading to deformations of the nuclear structure and, potentially, to modification of gene expression. Consistently, altered nuclear mechanics has been related to many genetic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, cardiomyopathy and progeria. In plants, the integration of mechanical signals in cell and developmental biology has also made great progress. Yet, while the link between cell wall stresses and cytoskeleton is consolidated, such cortical mechanical cues have not been integrated with the nucleoskeleton. Here, we propose to take inspiration from studies on animal nuclei to identify relevant methods amenable to probing nucleus mechanics and deformation in plant cells, with a focus on microrheology. To identify potential molecular targets, we also compare the players at the nuclear envelope, namely lamina and LINC complex, in both plant and animal nuclei. Understanding how mechanical signals are transduced to the nucleus across kingdoms will likely have essential implications in development (e.g. how mechanical cues add robustness to gene expression patterns), in the nucleoskeleton-cytoskeleton nexus (e.g. how stress is propagated in turgid/walled cells), as well as in transcriptional control, chromatin biology and epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Fal
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, 69342, Lyon, France
| | - Atef Asnacios
- Laboratoire Matières et Systèmes Complexes, Université Paris-Diderot and CNRS, UMR 7057, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Edith Chabouté
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Olivier Hamant
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, 69342, Lyon, France.
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11
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Functional implication of the common evolutionary origin of nuclear pore complex and endomembrane management systems. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 68:10-17. [PMID: 28473267 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are the sole gateway between the cytoplasm and the nucleus serving both as stringent permeability barrier and active transporters between the two compartments of eukaryotic cells. Complete mechanistic understanding of how these two functions are implemented within one and the same transport machine has not been attained to date. Based on several lines of structural evidence, a hypothesis was proposed postulating that NPCs shares common evolutionary origin with other intracellular systems responsible for active management of endomembranes. In this review we attempt to summarize the evidence supporting this hypothesis. The structural data obtained so far is evaluated and supplemented with the analysis of the functional evidence. Based on this analysis, a model is proposed which integrates the knowledge from the field of NPC function with that obtained from other endomembrane management systems in an attempt to shed new light on the mechanism of the NPC active transport.
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