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Publication Abstract from PubMed

The asymmetric distribution of the nucleotide-bound state of Ran across the nuclear envelope is crucial for determining the directionality of nuclear transport. In the nucleus, Ran is primarily in the guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-bound state, whereas in the cytoplasm, Ran is primarily guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP)-bound. Conformational changes within the Ran switch I and switch II loops are thought to modulate its affinity for importin-beta. Here, we show that RanGDP and importin-beta form a stable complex with a micromolar dissociation constant. This complex can be dissociated by importin-beta binding partners such as importin-alpha. Surprisingly, the crystal structure of the Kap95p-RanGDP complex shows that Kap95p induces the switch I and II regions of RanGDP to adopt a conformation that resembles that of the GTP-bound form. The structure of the complex provides insights into the structural basis for the gradation of affinities regulating nuclear protein transport.

Kap95p binding induces the switch loops of RanGDP to adopt the GTP-bound conformation: implications for nuclear import complex assembly dynamics.,Forwood JK, Lonhienne TG, Marfori M, Robin G, Meng W, Guncar G, Liu SM, Stewart M, Carroll BJ, Kobe B J Mol Biol. 2008 Nov 21;383(4):772-82. Epub 2008 Aug 7. PMID:18708071^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.