title: The 1.6 angstroms resolution crystal structure of nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2).
abstract: Nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) facilitates protein transport into the nucleus and interacts with both the small Ras-like GTPase Ran and nucleoporin p62. We have determined the structure of bacterially expressed rat NTF2 at 1.6 angstroms resolution using X-ray crystallography. The NTF2 polypeptide chain forms an alpha + beta barrel that opens at one end to form a distinctive hydrophobic cavity and its fold is homologous to that of scytalone dehydratase. The NTF2 hydrophobic cavity is a candidate for a potential binding site for other proteins involved in nuclear import such as Ran and nucleoporin p62. In addition, the hydrophobic cavity contains a putative catalytic Asp-His pair, which raises the possibility of an unanticipated enzymatic activity of the molecule that may have implications for the molecular mechanism of nuclear protein import.
authors: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
authors: T L
authors: TL
authors: Bullock
authors: W D
authors: WD
authors: Clarkson
authors: H M
authors: HM
authors: Kent
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D015870:Gene Expression; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000737:chemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; C503612:Nutf2 protein, rat; C049312:nuclear pore protein p62; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; C082741:scytalone dehydratase