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Free keywords:
Gene Expression, Humans, Models, Molecular, Molecular Chaperones, Nuclear Pore, Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins, Protein Isoforms, Protein Multimerization, Protein Structure, Secondary, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
Abstract:
Elucidating the structure of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a prerequisite for understanding the molecular mechanism of nucleocytoplasmic transport. However, owing to its sheer size and flexibility, the NPC is unapproachable by classical structure determination techniques and requires a joint effort of complementary methods. Whereas bottom-up approaches rely on biochemical interaction studies and crystal-structure determination of NPC components, top-down approaches attempt to determine the structure of the intact NPC in situ. Recently, both approaches have converged, thereby bridging the resolution gap from the higher-order scaffold structure to near-atomic resolution and opening the door for structure-guided experimental interrogations of NPC function.