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Single-Molecule Imaging of Nuclear Transport
12:13

Single-Molecule Imaging of Nuclear Transport

Published on: June 9, 2010

Dynamics of single mRNP nucleocytoplasmic transport and export through the nuclear pore in living cells

Amir Mor1, Shimrit Suliman, Rakefet Ben-Yishay

  • 1The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences & Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel.

Nature Cell Biology
|May 11, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Messenger RNA (mRNA) export from the nucleus in eukaryotic cells is rapid, occurring within minutes. This study visualizes mRNA-protein complexes (mRNPs) and reveals their fast nuclear pore complex (NPC) translocation.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Nucleocytoplasmic translocation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) is crucial for genetic information flow in eukaryotes.
  • In vivo kinetics of mRNA export are poorly understood compared to protein transport.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a mammalian system for real-time visualization and quantification of single mRNA-protein complexes (mRNPs) during nuclear export.
  • To elucidate the in vivo dynamics and kinetics of bulk mRNP transport and export.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a mammalian system for real-time visualization of single mRNA-protein complexes (mRNPs).
  • Quantified mRNP dynamics from transcription to the nuclear pore complex (NPC).
  • Analyzed mRNP-NPC interactions and translocation kinetics.

Main Results:

  • Bulk mRNP transport and export occurred within 5-40 minutes without NPC pile-up.
  • mRNP export through the NPC was rapid (approx. 0.5 s), faster than nucleoplasmic diffusion.
  • mRNA-NPC interactions were independent of ongoing export; introns enhanced export efficiency.

Conclusions:

  • Provides the first real-time visualization and kinetic analysis of single mRNP nuclear export in vivo.
  • Demonstrates rapid mRNP translocation through NPCs and identifies introns as enhancers of export efficiency.
  • Offers insights into nuclear gene expression steps and inter-chromatin diffusion pathways.

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