Nuclear mRNA metabolism drives selective basket assembly on a subset of nuclear pore complexes in budding yeast

To determine which transcripts should reach the cytoplasm for translation, eukaryotic cells have established mechanisms to regulate selective mRNA export through the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The nuclear basket, a substructure of the NPC protruding into the nucleoplasm, is thought to function as a stable platform where mRNA-protein complexes (mRNPs) are rearranged and undergo quality control prior to export, ensuring that only mature mRNAs reach the cytoplasm. Here, we use proteomic, genetic, live-cell, and single-molecule res-olution microscopy approaches in budding yeast to demonstrate that basket formation is dependent on RNA polymerase II transcription and subsequent mRNP processing. We further show that while all NPCs can bind Mlp1, baskets assemble only on a subset of nucleoplasmic NPCs, and these basket-containing NPCs asso-ciate a distinct protein and RNA interactome. Taken together, our data point toward NPC heterogeneity and an RNA-dependent mechanism for functionalization of NPCs in budding yeast through nuclear basket as-sembly.

Automated summary

This study investigates the formation of nuclear basket in budding yeast and discovers its dependence on RNA transcription and mRNP processing. The subset of nucleoplasmic NPCs containing baskets are found to associate with a distinct protein and RNA interactome, indicating the heterogeneity of NPC functionalization in yeast and the involvement of RNA in this process.