Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2026

Nuclear Migration in the Drosophila Oocyte
Published on: May 13, 2021
Metabolic-energy-dependent movement of PML bodies within the mammalian cell nucleus
Masafumi Muratani1, Daniel Gerlich, Susan M Janicki
1Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, One Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.
Abstract:
Promyelocytic leukaemia (PML) nuclear bodies are present in most mammalian cell nuclei. PML bodies are disrupted by PML retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR alpha) oncoproteins in acute promyelocytic leukaemia. These bodies contain numerous proteins, including Sp100, SUMO-1, HAUSP(USP7), CBP and BLM, and they have been implicated in aspects of transcriptional regulation or as nuclear storage depots. Here, we show that three classes of PML nuclear bodies can be distinguished, on the basis of their dynamic properties in living cells. One class of PML bodies is particularly noteworthy in that it moves by a metabolic-energy-dependent mechanism. This represents the first example of metabolic-energy-dependent transport of a nuclear body within the mammalian cell nucleus.
Related Concept Videos
Nuclear Protein Sorting
Proteins targeted to the nucleus carry nuclear localization signals or NLS recognized by import receptors in the cytosol. Similarly, proteins with nuclear export signals are recognized by export receptors. Import and export receptors are...
The Nucleus
The Nucleus
Arrangement of DNA within Nucleus
The regulation of gene expression inside the nucleus is dependent on many factors, including the DNA structure. The...
Regulated mRNA Transport
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
The Nucleolus

