W3: 3.2 Nucleus & Gated Transport Flashcards
What is a nucleolus and what are some of its features?
The ribosome factory (site production of ribosomal RNA molecules and ribosome subunits)
Features:
- located inside the nucleus.
- not a membrane bound compartment
- Nucleus Organizing Regions (NOR) of the chromosomes gather in the nucleolus
- takes of 20-25% of nuclear volume.
What structure provides mechanical support to the nuclear membrane? and what is its composition?
Nuclear laminas:
made of cytoskeletal filaments called intermediate filaments, which are very strong.
The function of this layer is to give mechanical support to the nuclear membrane
located inside the inner nuclear membrane by transmembrane protein anchors called LAP (lamin-associated proteins)
involved in tying/localizing chromosomes to specific sites on the membrane nucleus
What are the three types of proteins found in nuclear pores? What are their functions?
Peripheral, transmembrane, and anchored proteins.
Peripheral proteins - multiple copies of about thirty different kinds of peripheral proteins arranged in a ring and called nucleoporins
Integral/transmembrane proteins that span the membrane and anchor ring into the membrane
Anchored proteins - Lamins - anchor the pore complex to the nuclear lamina
NPC (nuclear pore complex) proteins regulate what enters/exits the nucleus and regulate gene expression
What are the functional parts of the nuclear pore?
Central channel (9nm pore)
Nuclear basket on inside of the pore made of protein filaments
Fibrilis: on inside it’s called nuclear fibrilis and on the outer membrane or systolic side it’s called cytosolic fibrilis
What are the major parts of a nuclear pore?
Ring subunits: form the upper and lower boundaries of the pore
Columnar subunits: line the channel of the pore
Annular subunits: stick into the channel w/in the pore & help prevent or facilitate movement of things through the pore
Luminal subunits: stick into the lumen of the perinuclear space. Important in anchoring the nuclear pore comples to the nuclear membrane
How small does a molecule need to be in order to move freely in and out of the nucleus?
molecules smaller than 5000 daltons can pass through nuclear pores by simple diffusion
How do molecules that are bigger than 5000 daltons move through a nuclear pore?
Through gated transport
Since the pore is 9nm some form of energy will be needed to move complexes that are larger - this movement is tightly regulated
What are the characteristics of an NLS (nuclear localization signal?)
code that causes proteins to enter the nucleus.
Common feature is the presence of several positively charged lysine (Lys) or Arginine (Arg) amino acids.
An inactivated nuclear receptor shows uniform localization in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. However, when it is activated, it is exclusively in the nucleus. Does activation likely involved a nuclear localization sequence or a nuclear retention sequence?
Nuclear localization since it causes proteins to move into the nucleus, where nuclear retention sequence can move proteins to move in and out. (CHECK ANSWER)
What are FG repeats and what is their role in nuclear import and export?
inner nuclear pore proteins that have phenylalaline and glycine repeats that work as stepping stones for nuclear import receptors. FG repeats help regulate movement of molecules.
Which of these would be found primarily in the cell cytoplasm: Ran-GEFS, RAN-GAPs, RAN-GTP, RAN-GDP
RAN GAP is found in the cytoplasm and converts GTP to GDP + Pi when GTP leaves the nucleus to enter the cytoplasm. RAN GDP can also be found in the cytoplasm (CHECK THIS PART)
Would a nuclear receptor making its way into the nucleus be bound to RAN GTP or RAN GDP?
It would be bound to RAN-GDP b/c ran-GDP moves into the nucleus while Ran-GTP moves out of the nucleus.
What is Dbp5 and what is its function?
Dbp5 is an RNA helicase protein (motor protein) that provides force for transport and releases the receptor and other mRNA associated proteins so that they can recycle back to the nucleus. It uses energy of ATP
Explain how Rev functions in the life cycle of HIV
Rev helps HIV virus get around the normal mechanism preventing the export of unprocessed mRNAs from cells
During the early phase of viral infection, mRNA encoding Rev is produced and processed normally by cells leading to the export of the mRNA for Rev and production of the Rev protein
Rev then reenters the nucleus and couples unprocessed viral mRNA molecules to a host cell nuclear export receptor that is exported using the Ran-GTP dependent process
What are the structural features of a nucleus?
subnuclear compartments
nuclear matrix
nucleolus
nuclear envelope
nuclear pore complex
nuclear localization
gated transport
Where are ribosomes and ribosomal RNA molecules assembled?
by the nucleolus inside the nucleus
Why do cells need to produce large amounts of ribosomes in molecules? How do cells accomplish this?
In order to make all the protein they need to live.
To accomplish this some chromosomes have multiple copies of genes coding for ribosomal RNA. The regions of chromosomes containing these genes are localized w/in the nucleolus
What is the nucleus organizing region?
Region in nucleolus that contains chromosome genes coding for ribosomal RNA
What are the similarities and differences of ribosomal subunits
Similarities: subunits are made in the nucleolus and joined in the cytoplasm
Difference: one subunit is small and the other large
What is the function of nuclear lamina?
made of cytoskeletal filaments called intermediate filament, which are very strong and the function of this layer is to give mechanical support to the nuclear membrane. Lamina also ties chromosomes to specific sites on the membrane
How does the nuclear pore complex (NPC) function?
NPC functions as a gate for molecules greater than 5000 daltons
What are the subunits of a nuclear pore? How many are there?
4 subunits:
Ring subunits
Column Subunits
Annular Subunit
Lamina Subunit
How do large molecules pass the nuclear pore?
An active process known as gated transport, which will require some form of energy
How do complexes move through nuclear pores in one direction while being prevented from moving through it in the other direction
When the cell is not in transition state protein is either inside the nucleus or outside the cytoplasm. However it is coded in their amino acid if a protein will move in it will bind to NLS if it moves out it will bind to NES