The nuclear envelope is a membrane system which surrounds the nucleoplasm of eukaryotic cells. It is composed of the nuclear lamina, nuclear pore complexes and two nuclear membranes. The space between the two membranes is called the nuclear intermembrane space.
The inner membrane of the nucleus is the membrane which separates the nuclear matrix from the intermembrane space. In mammals, the inner nuclear membrane is associated with heterochromatin and the nuclear lamina.
The membrane surrounding the nucleus. This term is used when it is not known if the protein is found in or associated with the inner or outer nuclear membrane.
The outer membrane of the nucleus is the membrane facing the cytoplasm. In mammals, the outer nuclear membrane is continuous in many places with the rough endoplasmic reticulum and is dotted with ribosomes.
The nuclear pore complex (NPC) constitutes the exclusive means of nucleocytoplasmic transport. NPCs allow the passive diffusion of ions and small molecules and the active bidirectional transport of macromolecules such as proteins, RNAs etc across the double-membrane nuclear envelope.The NPC is composed of at least 30 distinct subunits known as Nucleoporins (NUPs).
Mediates the import of GDP-bound RAN from the cytoplasm into the nucleus which is essential for the function of RAN in cargo receptor-mediated nucleocytoplasmic transport. Thereby, plays indirectly a more general role in cargo receptor-mediated nucleocytoplasmic transport. Interacts with GDP-bound RAN in the cytosol, recruits it to the nuclear pore complex via its interaction with nucleoporins and promotes its nuclear import. {By
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National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Department of Biology
Biophysics & Bioinformatics Laboratory