Architectural Nucleoporins Nup157/170 and Nup133 Are Structurally Related and Descend from a Second Ancestral Element
The nuclear pore complex (NPC) constitutes one of the largest protein assemblies in the eukaryotic cell and forms the exclusive gateway to the nucleus. The stable, {approx}15-20-MDa scaffold ring of the NPC is built from two multiprotein complexes arranged around a central 8-fold axis. Here we present crystal structures of two large architectural units, yNup170{sub 979-1502} and hNup107{sub 658-925} {center_dot} hNup133{sub 517-1156}, each a constituent of one of the two multiprotein complexes. Conservation of domain arrangement and of tertiary structure suggests that Nup157/170 and Nup133 derived from a common ancestor. Together with the previously established ancestral coatomer element (ACE1), these two elements constitute the major {alpha}-helical building blocks of the NPC scaffold and define its branched, lattice-like architecture, similar to vesicle coats like COPII. We hypothesize that the extant NPC evolved early during eukaryotic evolution from a rudimentary structure composed of several identical copies of a few ancestral elements, later diversified and specified by gene duplication.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 1005926
- Journal Information:
- J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 284, Issue (41) ; 10, 2009; ISSN 0021-9258
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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