Nuclear Domains Flashcards
Nuclear envelope basic
double membrane
outer membrane joined w ER
nuclear lamina supporting inside, located just beneath envelope
numerous perforations - nuclear pore complexes
made from curving of membrane
act as gatekeepers
allows nuclear proteins to be concentrated inside
nuclear traffic basic
import:
proteins required for nuclear structures
-histones
-DNA/RNA pol
-TFs
Export:
transcription and splicing occur outside of nucleus at external ribosomes
gives extra level of transcriptional control
-mRNA
-tRNA
-rRNA
-Ribosomal particles
Nuclear import/export selectivity - Ribosome Biogenesis
mRNA encoding ribosomal proteins transcribed in nucleus
the mRNA is shuttled out of the nucleus
translation of ribosomal proteins outside of nucleus
ribosome assembly occurs inside nucleus
ribosomal proteins imported back in
find rRNA in nucleus - assemble
final ribosomes then exported again
so entails export -> import -> export
Nuclear pore complex structure basic
large 125MDa
50 distinct proteins
multimerise into 8 fold rotational symmetrical structure
form:
-nuclear basket: involved in interactions inside the nucleus (eg chromatin regulation)
-central core
-cytoplasmic fibrils on cytoplasmic side
have diff layers of proteins forming rings to generate the hole
diff rings diff purposes
have cytoplasmic filaments projecting out the spoke proteins
cytoplasmic filament purposes
important in determining traffic
NPC division into structurally similar modules
Halves:
-cytoplasmic
-nuclear
Spokes:
-8 radial spokes
columns:
-16 radial columns
Rings:
-Outer
-inner
-outer
outer and inner rings make up core scaffold
NPC membrane ring
interacts with nuclear membrane
Nuclear pore flexibility
mRNA unwinds itself to pass through
but there is decent flexibility in what NPC can let through
pore can flexibly change in size?
nuclear import speed in S phase
nuclear import generally rapid
during S phase need to import many histone molecules to wrap newly replicated DNA
works out to 2-3 histones imported per second over 8hr period of S-phase
nuclear membrane transport types
Passive:
diffusion
no energy
-metabolites and other small molecules/proteins
Active:
requires energy and transport proteins
-large proteins
-protein complexes
-mRNA
-tRNA
-ribosomal particles
experiemnt for passive transport size limitations
coat dextran sugar w fluorescent probe
inject it into xenopus oocyte
watch how long it takws for diff sized dextrans to enter nucleus
~60-80kDa limit
larger proteins require nuclear localisation signal for import
Nuclear localisation signal
NLS:
Peptide - Stretch of basic Amino Acids
-Lysines/Arginines (K/R)
can tag on to other proteins - cause them to be imported
mutation of it prevents import
can be at beginning, middle, end of protein as long as it is exposed
so can be attached to any protein of interest
E.g. GFP (normally ends up in cytoplasm)
NLS directs their import from cytoplasm
coating with this signal is sufficient for import of a large gold particle
Nuclear export signals
NES
many are a leucine (L) rich sequence
can function autonomously like NLS
certain RNA sequences/structures also work as NES
cytosolic proteins necessary for nuclear import
Nuclear import receptors - Karyopherins
soluble cytosolic components
Experiment for testing cytosolic protein necessity for import
treat cell w Digitonin
permeabilises cell
removes cytoplasmic medium - leaves just some cytoskeleton
take NLS fused fluorescent protein tags
add ATP + cytosolic lysate
or just ATP
when Just ATP no import happened
need cytosolic components
Karyopherin binding
directly bind cargo
or via an adapter protein which binds cargo
binds the NLS
also bind the Nucleoporins (NUPS) in the nuclear pore complex
interact with the Phenylalanine-Glycine (FG) repeats in the NUPs
FG repeat importance in nucleoporins
FG/Phe-Gly repeat containing nucleoporins constitute the PERMEABILITY BARRIER of nuclear transport
form a Phe-Gly meshwork in the NPC core
once you bind and enter the meshwork can then pass through pore
Karyopherin/Import receptor interaction with FG repeats
Cargo binds Karyopherin
Karyopherin has FG binding sites
Binds the FG repeats on the NUPs
Cargo/Karyopherin complex can pass through
Importin-Beta
founding member of karyopherin import receptor family
has ~19 HEAT repeats
one part binds NPC FG repeats
another binds cargo
another binds Importin-Alpha - an adapter that binds cargo
Ran-GTP mediated nuclear IMPORT
High Ran-GTP in nucleus
high Ran-GDP outside
Protein binds import receptor
imported thru pore
Ran-GTP competes w receptor for cargo - kicks it off inside nucleus
Ran-GTP/Karyopherin exits nucleus
Ran-GTP is hydrolysed outside of nucleus
loses affinity fot import receptor
receptor now free for more cargo to bind
Ran-GTP mediated nuclear EXPORT
Exportins
Binds Ran-GTP inside nucleus
this allows it to bind cargo
leaves nucleus
Ran-GTP hydrolysed by Ran-GAP
kicks off Ran-GDP and cargo outside nucleus
Exportins can also bind importin alpha
helps the adaters to get out of nucleus
Establishing the Ran-GTP concentration gradient inside/outside
Ran-GEFs inside nucleus (RCC1)
Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factor
Ran-GDP + Pi => RanGTP
Ran-GAPs in cytoplasm
GTPase activating protein
Ran is slow GTPase
GAPs promote GTP hydrolysis
Keeps GTP form high inside nucleus
and GDP form high in cytoplasm
RanGDP and Pi freely diffuse i guess
Nucleus Mechanosensing
Nucleus and rest of cell are mechanocoupled via the cytoskeleton
pulling the actin filaments changes nucleus shape
Cells respond to mechanical forces in their environment (eg in the ECM)
Cells of most soft connective tissues need to do this to maintain the ECM during development, remodelling, repair
Mechanotransduction
Transduction of extracellular mechanical stimuli into signals
triggering a cellular response through gene expression eg
controls:
-cell motility
-nuclear motility
-gene expression
communication btwn cells and environment
issues can lead to disease
molecular players in mechanotransduction
Nuclear envelope TM proteins
Cytoplasmic players:
-cytoskeleton: Actin, IF, MT
connect to Nesprin family of nuclear envelope outer membrane proteins
Nesprins interact with inner membrane SUN domain proteins (SUN1/2)
then have other proteins embedded in inner membrane:
-Lamin B receptor
-LAP2Beta
These connect directly with IF lamins and with chromatin
Nesprins
Outer membrane TM proteins
connect nuclear and cytoplasmic cytoskeletal networks together
-Nesprin 1/2 - to actin
-Nesprin 3 to Plectin (an IF)
-Nesprin 4 - to MTs, motors, and centrosome
all contain KASH domains - embedded in outer nuclear membrane
Their C-terminus Interacts with SUN domains embedded in the INM (stick out in space between the ONM/INM)
SUN proteins
interact w nesprins
embedded in INM
domains located in the periplasmic space
then interact w proteins lying just underneath the nuclear envelope (Emerin, Lamins)
LINC complex
Nesprins
+SUN proteins
+Emerin
called the LINC complex
linker of Nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton
-facilitates mechanitransduction
-positions nucleus within cell
-tehter centrosomes to nuclear envelope
-have other domains eg Spectrin repeats and Calpolin Homology (CH) domain (which in Nesprin 1/2 bind actin CS)
Nucleus mobility
nucleus can take different locations in cell depending on context
eg Epithelial cells
-in culture: is in middle of cell
-in tissue: locate towards the basal membrane
eg Myotubes(polynucleate)
-in culture: many nuclei randomly distributed in cell
-in tissue: nuclei found exactly where the synapses contact the cell
Nesprin mediation of nuclear migration -Klarsicht
In drosophila:
Klarsicht (a nesprin) can connect to motor proteins (Dyenin) on the MTs and allow nuclear migration on the MTs
relevant in photoreception
MT and dyenin align the nucleus towards the apical side
in mutants
migration perturbed
many stay towards basal side
this migration failure results in eye morphology/function defects
Human brain neural celll migration dependent on nuclear migration
scaffold of radial Glial cell bodies
other cells migrate on this from ventricular zone to primitive cortex (brain surface)
2 types of movement in these neurons
1. rapid movement by leading neurite
2. followed by second phase which is the cell body following along and also the nucleus (NUCLEOKINESIS)
general neural cell migration dependent on ability to perform nucleokinesis
mutation in eg Dyenin compromises nucleokinesis, can lead to human classical lissencephaly (smooth brain)
neuromuscular junction nuclear localisation
enrichment of myotube nuclei at neuromuscular junction is dependent on Nesprins
1 WT allele sufficient for WT phenotype
need -/- to disrupt
nuclei scatteres not directly below surface junction
SUN domain protein/Nesprin centrosome tethering
centrosome= cytoplasmic organelle
but is v close to nuclear envelope
Mediated by Nesprin 4 (ONM)
connected to SUN domain
connected to Emerin
Centrosome connects to Nesprin 4 tethering it to the nucleus
emerin mutation breaks this connection
INM proteins
-Lamin B receptor!
-Lap1!
-LAP2!
-Man-1
-Emerin!
can make contact to proteins on
outside
and connect to important nuclear structures:
-Lamins (IF)
-Chromatin
many INM proteins that interact w these can affect gene expression
allows mechanical stimulus to transduce signal all the way to chromatin
Nuclear lamina
intermediate filaments
just underneath envelope
meshwork of filaments
nuclear lamins regulate size, shape, mechanical integrity of nucelus
breaks down at onset of mitosis (phosphorylated lamins)
Lamins
Type V intermediate filaments
mutations linked to many diseases
genomic locus:
V large
many exons
typical structure:
-Domain at N-terminal half - Alpha helical rod domain - stiff part of filament
-followed by flexible part - globular domain - the Ig fold, important for contacts inside nucleus (eg w chromatin)
Have 2-6 separate genes
get Lamin A and C from alt splicing
and B1 and B2 isoforms
arrangement of monomers in lamin filaments
alpha helical stiff rod domains connected in filament
globular Ig domains stick out of side
periodicity of Ig domains (connected by flexible linker to rod shaped N terminus domain) are about 20nm apart
relatively short persistence length - measure of stiffness
allows it to be bent in diff directions
Assembly of lamin filaments
Lamin dimer
coiled coil from rod domains
(cross section = 2 a-helices in coiled coil)
both Ig domains toward C-terminus - both at same side of dimer
dimers assemble in staggered head to tail longitudinal assembly
come together overlapping in small region -giving the staggered tetramer
head to tail polymer
can be staggered or half staggered lateral assembly (parallel or antiparallel)
tetrameric cross section at overlap
dimeric at non-overlap
then form protofilament
hexameric overlap region
tetrameric region where not overlapped just 2
Processing steps for mature functional lamins
CAAX region at end is modified
-farnesylation
-endopeptidase
-carboxyl methyltransfer
then important step:
Have Pre-Lamin A:
protease cuts this region away producing mature lamin A
Likewise get mature Lamin B1 and B2 in diff pathways which dont undergo proteolysis - instead undergo farnesylation that remains there
if this important step goes wrong (mutations, protease cleavage region absence)
end up with progerin molecule