Page "Nuclear pore" Paragraph 24

During mitosis the NPC appears to disassemble in stages.

Peripheral nucleoporins such as the Nup 153 Nup 98 and Nup 214 disassociate from the NPC.

The rest, which can be considered a scaffold proteins remain stable, as cylindrical ring complexes within the nuclear envelope.

This disassembly of the NPC peripheral groups is largely thought to be phosphate driven, as several of these nucleoporins are phosphorylated during the stages of mitosis.

However, the enzyme involved in the phosphorlyation is unknown in vivo.

In metazoans ( which undergo open mitosis ) the NE degrades quickly after the loss of the peripheral Nups.

The reason for this may be due to the change in the NPC ’ s architecture.

This change may make the NPC more permeable to enzymes involved in the degradation of the NE such as cytoplasmic tubulin, as well as allowing the entry of key mitotic regulator proteins.