Nuclear pore

Nucleus

Nuclear protein

Nuclear transport

Nucleoporin

Transcription factor

Biology

Nuclear lamina

Gene

Biophysics

Modularity (biology)

Cell nucleus

Mitochondrion

Cell biology

Genetics

Inner membrane

Annual Review of Biophysics

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate nucleocytoplasmic exchange. They are exceptionally large protein complexes that fuse the inner and outer nuclear membranes to form channels across the nuclear envelope. About 30 different protein components, termed nucleoporins, assemble in multiple copies into an intricate cylindrical architecture. Here, we review our current knowledge of the structure of nucleoporins and how those come together in situ. We delineate architectural principles on several hierarchical organization levels, including isoforms, posttranslational modifications, nucleoporins, and higher-order oligomerization of nucleoporin subcomplexes. We discuss how cells exploit this modularity to faithfully assemble NPCs.

Structure and Assembly of the Nuclear Pore Complex