The assembly and function of the TREX complex

为了使生物体的细胞存活，它们需要合成蛋白质。在细胞内，一种叫做信使RNA的特殊模板充当了制造蛋白质的蓝图。mRNA是在细胞核内的一个特殊结构中产生的，细胞核被一层膜包裹着，膜上有特殊的孔，称为核孔。信使RNA从细胞核运输，通过核孔进入细胞核周围的细胞质。在细胞质中，信使RNA被解码以制造蛋白质，这一过程对细胞存活至关重要。一种叫做TREX的特殊蛋白质复合物决定信使RNA何时被完全加工并准备离开细胞核，然后帮助将其运送到细胞质。TREX复合物有许多亚基，其中一些是我们刚刚发现的。我们不知道TREX的所有亚基都做什么，也不知道它们是如何聚集在一起形成复合体并运输信使RNA的。在这个建议中，我们的目标是建立TREX复合体是如何组装的，并检查复合体内的每个亚基的作用。其他科学家最近的研究表明，TREX复合物可能在细胞中发挥其他重要功能，例如产生一种特殊的小RNA分子，称为短干扰RNA，干扰蛋白质的合成。因此，我们对TREX复合体如何组装和工作的研究可能有助于我们大大提高对细胞中蛋白质合成方式的理解。由于TREX复合物从酵母一直保存到人类，我们的研究可能会在影响社会的许多领域产生广泛的影响，包括食品生产和了解保持人类健康的原因。

In order for the cells of an organism to live they need to synthesise proteins. Within cells a special template called messenger RNA acts as a blueprint for making proteins. mRNA is produced in a special structure inside the cell called the nucleus, which is encapsulated by a membrane with special holes in it called nuclear pores. The messenger RNA is transported from the nucleus, through the nuclear pores to the cytoplasm of a cell which surrounds the nucleus. In the cytoplasm the messenger RNA is decoded to make proteins and this process is essential for cell survival. A special complex of proteins called TREX determines when a messenger RNA is fully processed and ready to leave the nucleus and then helps transport it to the cytoplasm. The TREX complex has many subunits, some of which we have only just discovered. We do not understand what all the subunits of TREX do nor how they all come together to make the complex and transport the messenger RNA. In this proposal we aim to establish how the TREX complex assembles and examine what each subunit within the complex does. Recent work from other scientists has shown that the TREX complex may play other important functions in the cell such as producing special small RNA molecules called short interfering RNAs which interfere with the synthesis of proteins. Therefore our studies on how the TREX complex assembles and works is likely to help us considerably advance our understanding of how proteins are synthesised in cells. Since the TREX complex is conserved from yeast through to man, our studies are likely to have a broad impact in many areas which affect society including food production and understanding what keeps humans healthy.