Leyla Raiani
May 10, 2012

Research reveals novel transport mechanism for large ribonucleoproteins

The movement of genetic materials, such as RNA and ribosomes, from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is a critical component in a cell's ability to make the proteins necessary for essential biological functions. Until now, it was believed the nuclear pore complex was the sole pathway between the cell nucleus and cytoplasm for these materials. New evidence published in Cell by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, reveals a novel budding mechanism, similar to the process used by some viruses, capable of exporting large ribonucleoprotein particles from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This study has helped to unravel how RNAs support the development of the post-synaptic apparatus. It provides new evidence about communication between the nucleus and cytoplasm that have implications for diseases that affect the nuclear envelope such as muscular dystrophies and herpes-type infections such as shingles. 

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