Nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of proteins and RNA in plants

Merkle T. Nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of proteins and RNA in plants. Plant Cell Reports. 2011;30(2):153-176.Transport of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm is an essential necessity in eukaryotic cells, since the nuclear envelope separates transcription from translation. In the past few years, an increasing number of components of the plant nuclear transport machinery have been characterised. This progress, although far from being completed, confirmed that the general characteristics of nuclear transport are conserved between plants and other organisms. However, plant-specific components were also identified. Interestingly, several mutants in genes encoding components of the plant nuclear transport machinery were investigated, revealing differential sensitivity of plant-specific pathways to impaired nuclear transport. These findings attracted attention towards plant-specific cargoes that are transported over the nuclear envelope, unravelling connections between nuclear transport and components of signalling and developmental pathways. The current state of research in plants is summarised in comparison to yeast and vertebrate systems, and special emphasis is given to plant nuclear transport mutants

Arthropod Infection Models for Francisella tularensis

Purpose of Review Little is known about the interactions between Francisella tularensis and arthropods. The advent of next-generation sequencing led to a better knowledge of the genetic diversity of F. tularensis, which is associated with macrogeographical areas. These findings, coupled with precise methods to follow bacteria within arthropods, brought a renewed interest in this field. The scope of this review is to present the most recent literature describing experimental infections of arthropod vectors with F. tularensis. Recent Findings The latest data show the importance to test relevant lineages of F. tularensis and also emphasize the importance to improve arthropod infection models. Summary Many gaps still need to be filled to better understand the role of arthropods in the transmission and maintenance of F. tularensis. However, significant advancements were made in the last years. Future research will likely contribute to unravel the interconnections between F. tularensis, host, vector, and the environment