The nuclear pore complex: from molecular architecture to functional dynamics

Toward dissecting the molecular composition and architecture of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), over the past 18 months novel nucleoporins and NPC sub complexes were identified and characterized. The three-dimensional structur e of isolated yeast NPCs was determined by electron cryomicroscopy. New spe cimen preparation and labeling protocols localized a number of nucleoporins and NPC subcomplexes within the three-dimensional architecture of the yeas t NPC. Structural changes of native NPCs mediated by physiological effecter s such as calcium or ATP were monitored by time-lapse atomic force microsco py, thus revealing a first glimpse of the NPC's functional dynamics.