This project furthers our principle understanding of the function of a key machine in eukaryotic cells, the nuclear pore complex, in space and time. Increasing our knowledge on the heterogeneity of functions this mega-complex has in the cell is of crucial importance to understand how cells regulate their response to external stimuli like stress or immune challenges differently to steady state processes such as cell growth. Besides addressing conceptual challenges and providing technological progress to its field, the project integrates undergraduate (REU) and high school students (RAHSS) in a productive and meaningful manner in the research while fostering and supporting underserved students for careers in STEM fields. Integration of undergraduate and high school students in turn provides a unique opportunity for graduate students and post docs to become effective mentors.
Using light microscopy technology that cannot be obtained from commercial sources, single mRNAs, protein factors and nuclear pore complexes will be monitored simultaneously in 3D with millisecond time resolution and nanometer registration precision in living cells using minimal light dosages. This data will contain rich information about the efficiencies of transport of proteins and mRNAs through nuclear pore complexes as well as how different biochemical transport pathways are regulated in the cell. The project sets out to prove the notion of all nuclear pore complexes being equal does not hold true on a dynamic functional basis inside the cell.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
