14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have recently managed to develop a basic architectural model for the nuclear pore complex (NPC), often referred to as the “gatekeeper” of the cell. The basic sketch may help biologists and other researchers gain a better understanding of how chemical molecules are allowed into a cell's nucleus, and could improve existing therapies for a number of conditions. In charge of the research team has been MIT Associate Professor Thomas Schwartz.
The NPC is massive, as far as macromolecular structures inside the cell go. It allows for RNA to pass in and out of the cell, and it is also in charge of transporting numerous proteins. Scientists estimate that it contains in the vicinity of five million atoms, and therefore its structure has remained somewhat of a “holy grail” for decades, as experts tried in vain to follow their leads. Schwartz managed to lead his team on a path that allowed for the investigators to discover that the scaffold of NPC formed an open lattice structure, and also that the proteins involved in this structure were unique to it. This means that they cannot be found anywhere else in the cell.
“A complete structure of the NPC is the project of a lifetime, but we have shown that it is feasible and worth it, and that many unexpected discoveries can be made on the road as well,” the expert says. He also shares that the basic structure of the complex was revealed using an advanced imaging technique known as X-ray crystallography, which was also used by the team that won the Nobel Prize this year, in its research of human ribosomes. Because such large structures as the pore complex are difficult to crystallize in one piece, the team had to essentially break it up into its smaller components, visualize them all, and then put together an overall view of the structure.
The team highlights the fact that the recent discoveries only relate to a very small section of the NPC, and that much more studies are required before all of its structure and functions are resolved. On the bright side of things, even with the limited knowledge the MIT team recovered, a number of widely speculative theories about the role and structure of the nuclear pore complex were laid to rest. Additionally, the new study will serve as a guide for other research teams looking to move ahead in NPC studies, PhysOrg reports.