Mutations in the NXF-1:NXT-1 mRNA export complex affect gene-expression driven by the hsp-16.41 promoter

The NXF-1 : NXT-1 heterodimer is essential for the nuclear export of mRNA. Here we describe three new alleles of nxf-1 and one allele of nxt-1 isolated from a forward genetic screen. These mutations cause no apparent phenotype under normal growth conditions, but partially suppress the lethality caused by heat-shock induced expression of the PEEL-1 toxin from P hsp-16.41 :: peel-1 . There is also decreased expression of P hsp-16.41 ::eGFP in an nxf-1 mutant. We propose that NXF-1 : NXT-1 influences the expression of heat-shock activated genes due to a role in the recruitment of the hsp-16.41 promoter to the nuclear pore complex during heat-shock.