Journal Article

Structural and functional analysis of the interaction between the nucleoporin Nup98 and the mRNA export factor Rae1

Seo, Hyuk-Soo, Hoelz, André, Ren, Yi, Blobel, Günter

2010

Overview

The export of mRNAs is a multistep process, involving the packaging of mRNAs into messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs), their transport through nuclear pore complexes, and mRNP remodeling events prior to translation. Ribonucleic acid export 1 (Rae1) and Nup98 are evolutionarily conserved mRNA export factors that are targeted by the vesicular stomatitis virus matrix protein to inhibit host cell nuclear export. Here, we present the crystal structure of human Rae1 in complex with the Gle2-binding sequence (GLEBS) of Nup98 at 1.65 Å resolution. Rae1 forms a seven-bladed β-propeller with several extensive surface loops. The Nup98 GLEBS motif forms an [almost equal to]50-Å-long hairpin that binds with its C-terminal arm to an essentially invariant hydrophobic surface that extends over the entire top face of the Rae1 β-propeller. The C-terminal arm of the GLEBS hairpin is necessary and sufficient for Rae1 binding, and we identify a tandem glutamate element in this arm as critical for complex formation. The Rae1{bullet}Nup98GLEBS surface features an additional conserved patch with a positive electrostatic potential, and we demonstrate that the complex possesses single-stranded RNA-binding capability. Together, these data suggest that the Rae1{bullet}Nup98 complex directly binds to the mRNP at several stages of the mRNA export pathway.

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences,National Acad Sciences
• Subject: Amino Acid Sequence / Animals / Binding sites / Biological Sciences / Cells / Conserved Sequence / CRYSTAL STRUCTURE / Crystallography, X-Ray / Data processing / Electrostatic properties / ELECTROSTATICS / Evolution / EXPORTS / FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS / Glutamic acid / HeLa cells / Humans / Hydrophobicity / MATERIALS SCIENCE / matrix protein / Messenger RNA / Models, Molecular / Molecular Sequence Data / Mutagenesis / Nuclear interactions / Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins - chemistry / Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins - metabolism / Nuclear membrane / Nuclear pore / Nuclear pore complex proteins / Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins - chemistry / Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins - metabolism / Nuclear pores / Nuclear transport / Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins - chemistry / Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins - metabolism / Nucleoporins / PACKAGING / Protein Binding / Protein Structure, Quaternary / Protein Structure, Tertiary / PROTEINS / RESOLUTION / Ribonucleic acid / Ribonucleoproteins / Ribonucleoproteins - chemistry / Ribonucleoproteins - metabolism / RNA / RNA Transport / RNA, Messenger - metabolism / Sequence Alignment / Signal transduction / Structural Homology, Protein / Structure-Activity Relationship / Structure-function relationships / Surface Properties / Translation / translation (genetics) / TRANSPORT / Vesicular stomatitis virus / Vesiculovirus / Yeasts