# Understanding the role of the nuclear pore complex in undifferentiated cell proliferation and gene gating

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2024 · $401,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The nuclear envelope (NE), a double-membrane structure surrounding the cell nucleus, and the nuclear pore
complex (NPC), the largest protein assembly residing in the NE, together govern paramount cellular
processes of the eukaryotic life, spanning chromatin organization, gene expression regulation,
nucleocytoplasmic transport, and signal transduction. Our laboratory is committed to studying diverse and
novel functions of the NE and NPC using plants as our model organisms. Our emphasis on plants stems
from their unique combination of both conserved and distinct NE and NPC-associated mechanisms evolved
in response to complex environmental challenges. In this proposal, we aim to leverage an integrated
proteomic, molecular, genetic, and bioinformatic approach, to achieve a mechanistic understanding of how
PNET1, a newly identified and evolutionarily conserved NPC membrane component, impacts mitotic
progression in undifferentiated cells. Concurrently, we seek to elucidate the central role played by the NPC
basket protein, GBPL3, in the precise regulation of stress-induced transcriptional reprogramming through the
gene gating mechanism. This research endeavor is expected to significantly advance our understanding of
fundamental biological principles underlying cell division and the regulation of gene expression occurring at
the level of the NPC. Additionally, it may offer potential avenues for therapeutic interventions targeting
aberrant mitotic processes in critical human diseases (e.g., cancers) and provide insights into the precise
manipulation of gene expression, both in native and engineered biological systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10931869
- **Project number:** 1R35GM154623-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yangnan Gu
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $401,250
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10931869

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10931869, Understanding the role of the nuclear pore complex in undifferentiated cell proliferation and gene gating (1R35GM154623-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10931869. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*