Karyopherins are a group of proteins involved in transporting molecules through the pores of the nuclear envelope (the membrane around a cell's nucleus).

Karyopherins, which may act as importins or exportins, are part of the Importin-? super-family which all share a similar three-dimensional structure.

They belong to 9.A.14 The Nuclear Pore Complex Family in TCDB.

Cycle

For example,

• importin beta + adapter + cargo protein (cytoplasm)-->(karyoplasm)
• importin beta + adapter + RanGTP (karyoplasm)-->(cytoplasm)
• Ran-GTP --> RanGDP + P

Genes

• KPNA1
• KPNA2
• KPNA3
• KPNA4
• KPNA5
• KPNA6
• KPNB1
• KPNB2

Additional images

<gallery> Image:RanGTPcycle.png|The Ran-GTP cycle </gallery>

External links

• Illustrations at berkeley.edu
• Karyopherin animations
• Karyopherin illustrations

---

Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article