title: The discovery of a Werner Helicase Interacting Protein (WHIP) association with the nuclear pore complex.
abstract: The gateway for molecular trafficking between the cytoplasm and the nucleus is the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC). Through mass spectral analysis of the isolated Nuclear Pore Nup107-160 subcomplex, we discovered an in vivo interaction with Werner's Helicase Interacting Protein 1, (WRNIP1 or WHIP). WHIP was originally identified as a binding partner of Werner protein (WRN), which functions to maintain genome stability and is responsible for the progeria disease, Werner syndrome. We established the reciprocal isolation of Nup107 by alpha-WHIP. WHIP was found in purified Nuclear Envelope (NE) fractions treated with DNase/RNase/Heparin. We demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy that WHIP is located at the nuclear rim as well as punctate regions in the nuclear matrix. Ultimately, synchronized cells show a dynamic association between WHIP and the Nup107-160 subcomplex through the cell cycle without an interaction with WRN. We thus identify WHIP as a partner/component of the NE/NPC and set forth to investigate a role for the protein positioned at the NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology & Biomedical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Simarna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Tommy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: DiGuilio
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Glavy
mesh_terms: D000074183:ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism; D022022:Nuclear Pore / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins; C430237:WRNIP1 protein, human; D000074183:ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities