Nucleocytoplasmic Transport

The exchange of information and matter between cell nucleus and cyto plasm is an intriguing aspect of the eukaryotic cell which has attrac ted the cell biologists' attention for many decades. Nevertheless, the elucidation of nucleocytoplasmic transport is still in a stage where questions can be more easily formulated than answered. Considering the explosive progress in molecular biology, the somewhat prodromal stage of nucleocytoplasmic transport studies may seem astonishing. However, the situation becomes immediately intelligible if technical aspects are taken into consideration. Nucleocytoplasmic transport is a func tion of the living cell and the development of suitable in-vitro sys tems proved to be difficult. Recently, novel techniques for measuring molecular transport in single cells have been developed. Substantial proqress has been also achieved by gene technology. In this situation a 'Workshop on Nucleocytoplasmic Transport' was held at the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Center), Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany. A brief yet essentially complete picture of the field and its prospects was sought. The present book contains the proceedings of this work shop. The book is organized in the following manner: - Historical dimensions of the field are illuminated by Brachet. - Techniques for single-cell studies are reported by Engelhardt et al., Garland & Birmingham, Krafft et al., Feldherr, Neuhaus & Schweiger, Riedel et al., Edstrom, and Trendelenburg et al .. - The structure and biochemistry of the nuclear envelope is discussed by Milligan, Maul & Schatten, Krohne & Benavente, and Dreyer et al ..

A Few Reminiscences About Nucleocytoplasmic Transport.- Sensitive Techniques to Measure the Elastic Properties of Cell Membranes.- Modulation Methods and Slow Molecular Rotations.- Fluorescence Photoactivation and Dissipation (FDP).- The Use of Electron-Opaque Tracers in Nuclear Transport Studies.- Two-Way Traffic Between Nucleus and Cytoplasm: Cell Surgery Studies on Aoetabularia.- Nuclear Envelope Vesicles as an In Vitro Model System to Study Nucleocytoplasmic Transport of Proteins and Ribonucleic Acids.- Giant Polysome Formation in Chironomus Salivary Gland Cells as Studied by Microdissection Techniques.- Recent Improvements in Microscopy Towards Analysis of Transcriptionally Active Genes and Translocation of RNP-Complexes.- A Structural Model for the Nuclear Pore Complex.- Nuclear Lamins During Gametogenesis, Fertilization and Early Development.- A Pool of Soluble Nuclear Lamins in Eggs and Embryos of Xenopus laevis.- Uptake of Oocyte Nuclear Proteins by Nuclei of Xenopus Embryos.- Sequence Features of the Nucleoplasmin Tail Region and Evidence for a Selective Entry Mechanism for Transport into the Cell Nucleus.- Intracellular Transport of a Karyophilic Protein.- Amino Acid Sequences Able to Confer Nuclear Location.- Distinct Domains of Simian Virus 40 Large T Antigen Mediate Its Association with Different Cellular Targets.- Identification of a Sequence in Influenza Virus Nucleoprotein Which Specifies Nuclear Accumulation in Xenopus Oocytes.- Adenovirus E1A: Implications of a Post-Translational Modification for Nuclear Localization and Stimulation of Transcription.- Considerations on the Mechanism of Nuclear Protein Localization in Yeast.- Regulation of the Chicken Ovalbumin Gene Expression by Steroid Hormones in a Transient Assay.- Structural Elements of Glucocorticoid Receptors.- The Role of RNA-Protein Interactions in Intracellular Targeting.- Synthesis and Structure of a Specific Premessenger RNP Particle.