| Abstract: | Transport of proteins into and out of the nucleus occurs through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and is mediated by the interaction of transport factors with nucleoporins at the NPC. Nuclear import of proteins containing classical nuclear localization signals (NLSs) is mediated by a heterodimeric protein complex, composed of karyopherin α and β1, that docks via β1 the NLS-protein to the NPC. The GTPase Ran; the RanGDP binding protein, p10; and the RanGTP binding protein, RanBP1 are involved in translocation of the docked NLS-protein into the nucleus. Recently, new distinct nuclear import and export pathways that are mediated by members of the karyopherin β family have been discovered. Karyopherin β2 mediates import of mRNA binding proteins, whereas karyopherin β3 and β4 mediate import of a set of ribosomal proteins. Two other β karyopherin family members, CRM1 and CAS, mediate export of proteins containing leucine-rich nuclear export signals (NES) and reexport of karyopherin α, respectively. This growing family contains new members that constitute potential transport factors for cargoes yet to be identified in the future. The common features of the members of karyopherin β family are the ability to bind RanGTP and the ability to interact directly with nucleoporins at the NPC. The challenge for the future will be to identify the distinct or, perhaps, overlapping cargo(es) for each member of the karyopherin β superfamily and to characterize the molecular mechanisms of translocation of karyopherins together with their cargoes through the NPC. J. Cell. Biochem. 70:231–239, 1998.© 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
