title: Targeting of Ran: variation on a common theme?
abstract: The Ran GTPase plays a key role in nucleocytoplasmic transport. In its GTP-bound form, it directly interacts with members of the importin beta family of nuclear transport receptors and modulates their association with cargo. Work in cell-free higher-eukaryote systems has demonstrated additional roles for Ran in spindle and nuclear envelope formation during mitosis. However, until recently, no Ran-target proteins in these cellular processes were known. Several groups have now identified importin beta as one important target of Ran during mitotic spindle formation. This finding suggests that Ran uses the same effectors to regulate different cellular processes.
authors.affiliation: Biochemie-Zentrum Heidelberg (BZH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 4. OG, Heidelberg 69120, Germany. markus.kuenzler@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Künzler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hurt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism*; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*; D028961:beta Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; D028961:beta Karyopherins; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein