The trafficking of proteins into and out of the nucleus is central to cell function
In fruit flies, the process also seems to determine the fate of neural stem cells in the larval central brain
Neural stem cells are essential to neurogenesis, a two-step process in Drosophila
The cells first form during embryogenesis
At the end of neurogenesis, the cells divide terminally and exit the cell cycle, producing new neurons
A build up of the protein Prospero in the nucleus initiates this exit
But what causes this accumulation?
Researchers report that Prospero uses RanGAP to shuttle across the nuclear envelope
Eliminating RanGAP function doesn’t affect the nuclear import of Prospero, but rather its export out of the nucleus
This suggests a drop in RanGAP levels could entrap Prospero in the nucleus, hinting that an intrinsic mechanism determines the fate of neural stem cells in Drosophila
and perhaps other organisms as well
Wu, D., et al. RanGAP-mediated nucleocytoplasmic transport of Prospero regulates neural stem cell lifespan in Drosophila larval central brain. (2018)