Hallo everybody,

Did you know that some gene activation (transcription) is running directly on the nuclear pore complex?

Sussan Gasser from FMI, Basel gave the excellent seminar last Tuesday at Hammersmith Hospital, London where she described their and other observations showing this is really true (at least in yeast). Galactose-activated genes (glucose-free growing conditions) were nicely colocalizing with nuclear pore complex during activation. She mentioned that heat shock and one other metabolic stimulus (I do not remember which one) induce transcription associated with nuclear pore complex as well. On the other hand, VP16-induced activation of gene expression is localized to the interior of nuclues. That sounds very interesting as this brings the gene expression (specific) to the site of signal import/export to/from nucleus.

Does anybody know more interesting details about this topic?

Good signalling,
Marek