PubMed ID
18347069
UMMS Affiliation
Program in Cell Dynamics; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Date
3-19-2008
Document Type
Article
Subjects
Actins; Animals; Cell Nucleolus; Cell Nucleus; Humans; Microfilaments; Polymers; RNA Polymerase I; RNA, Ribosomal
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
The idea that actin may have an important function in the nucleus has undergone a rapid transition from one greeted with skepticism to a now rapidly advancing research field. Actin has now been implicated in transcription by all three RNA polymerases, but the structural form it adopts in these processes remains unclear. Recently, a claim was made that monomeric nuclear actin plays a role in signal transduction, while a just-published study of RNA polymerase I transcription has implicated polymeric actin, consorting with an isoform of its classical partner myosin. Both studies are critically discussed here, and although there are several issues to be resolved, it now seems reasonable to start thinking about functions for both monomeric and assembled actin in the nucleus.
Rights and Permissions
Citation: J Cell Biol. 2008 Mar 24;180(6):1061-4. Epub 2008 Mar 17. Link to article on publisher's site