Crosstalk between the actin cytoskeleton and Ran-mediated nuclear transport.
BACKGROUND
Transport of macromolecules into and out of the nucleus is a highly regulated process. The RanGTP/RanGDP gradient controls the trafficking of molecules exceeding the diffusion limit of the nuclear pore across the nuclear envelope.


RESULTS
We found genetic interaction between genes establishing the Ran gradient, nuclear transport factor 2 (ntf-2), Ran GTPase activating protein (Sd), and the gene encoding Drosophila Profilin, chickadee (chic). The severe eye phenotype caused by reduction of NTF2 is suppressed by loss of function mutations in chic and gain of function mutations in Sd (RanGAP). We show that in chic mutants, as in Sd-RanGAP, nuclear export is impaired.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that Profilin and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton play an important role in nuclear trafficking.
Minakhina
Svetlana
S
Waksman Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, NJ Cancer Center, Rutgers University, 190 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8020, USA. svetlana@waksman.rutgers.edu
Myers
Ron
R
Druzhinina
Marina
M
Steward
Ruth
R
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051304:Profilins / Q000502:physiology; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
D000199:Actins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C503609:Ntf-2 protein, Drosophila; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; D051304:Profilins; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein