The mechanism of ribosomal export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is not understood. As compared to the nuclear export of other cargoes (e.g. tRNA), nuclear export of ribosomes is likely to be more complicated, in view of an extremely complex biogenesis pathway of ribosomes. Using a 60S subunit reporter (Rpl25p-eGFP), we have isolated 20 temperature-sensitive ribosomal export (rix) mutants. The wild-type genes of these rix mutants have been cloned by complementation. This revealed that a large number of components with distinct subcellular location and function are involved in ribosome export. In our future research, we will characterize these Rix factors, which should give a molecular insight in the coupling between ribosome assembly and subsequent transport to the cytoplasm.
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