Major Vault Protein
Synonyms
Lung resistance-related protein; LRP
Definition
Major vault protein (MVP) is the major component of the vault complex, the largest ribonucleoprotein particle which is hypothesized to be a general carrier molecule for nucleocytoplasmic transport.
Characteristics
The Vault Complex
The vault complex is an evolutionarily conserved ribonucleoprotein particle with an estimated molecular mass of 13 MDa. The barrel-like structures of the vault, initially detected in preparations of clathrin-coated vesicles from rat liver in the mid 1980s, were named vaults due to their resemblance to the vaulted ceilings in cathedrals. The vault complex consists of two symmetrical halves which can unfold into flower-like structures, each consisting of eight distinct petals that are joined to a central ring. Cryoelectron-microscopic three-dimensional image reconstruction techniques revealed a smooth hollow barrel-like structure having an invaginated waist and two protruding caps. The entire mammalian...
References
- 1.Mossink MH, van Zon A, Scheper RJ et al. (2003) Vaults: a ribonucleoprotein particle involved in drug resistance? Oncogene 22:7458–7467PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 2.Perez-Tomas R (2006) Multidrug resistance: retrospect and prospects in anti-cancer drug treatment. Curr Med Chem 13:1859–1876PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 3.Steiner E, Holzmann K, Elbling L et al. (2006) Cellular functions of vaults and their involvement in multidrug resistance. Curr Drug Targets 7:923–934PubMedGoogle Scholar