GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF MACROMOLECULAR TRANSPORT ACROSS THE NUCLEAR-ENVELOPE

Numerous factors that promote movement of macromolecules in and out of the nucleus have now been identified. These include both soluble cyto plasmic and nucleoplasmic proteins and proteins of the nuclear pore co mplex (NPC). Genetic analyses of the nuclear transport process in the model organism, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have revea led remarkable conservation of all of these factors. In addition, impo rtant clues as to how these factors promote the unique bidirectional m ovement across the NPC have emerged from studies of yeast. We summariz e the characterization and genetic interactions of the soluble transpo rt factors and present data to illustrate how genetic experiments can be used to further define the import and export pathways. (C) 1996 Aca demic Press, Inc.