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Direct demonstration of eight-fold symmetry in nuclear pores

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Summary

Pictures, in front view, are presented of the nuclear pores from the oocytes of the newt Taricha granulosa. Negative staining is used. It is directly visible, on a substantial proportion of the pores, that the number of subunits in the annulus is 8. This conclusion had been reached earlier by other writers, who had used the rotation technique to ascertain the radial symmetry. The rotation technique is known to be very unreliable, though on this occasion had produced the correct result. A fibrous mesh network, connecting the subunits of separate pores is described.

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This work has been supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant GM 15769.

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Fabergé, A.C. Direct demonstration of eight-fold symmetry in nuclear pores. Z.Zellforsch 136, 183–190 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307439

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307439

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