Nuclear translocation of RanGAP1 coincides with virtual nuclear envelope breakdown in fission yeast meiosis.

In higher eukaryotes, mitosis proceeds with nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and disassembly of the nuclear pore complex (NPC); this is designated "open" mitosis. On the other hand, in many fungi, mitosis and chromosome segregation takes place without NEBD; this is designated "closed" mitosis. In a recent study on Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a closed mitosis organism, we reported a novel phenomenon that is equivalent to NEBD: a mixing of nuclear proteins and cytoplasmic proteins occurred transiently for a few minutes in meiosis without physical breakdown of the nuclear envelope. We designated this event virtual nuclear envelope breakdown (V-NEBD). In S. pombe, nuclear translocation of Rna1, a RanGAP1 homolog in S. pombe, occurs during meiosis, and this translocation of Rna1 leads to collapse of the Ran-GTP gradient across the nuclear envelope and occurs coincidently with V-NEBD. Here, we describe possible roles of RanGAP1 in V-NEBD in S. pombe and provide insights into the roles V-NEBD may play in meiosis.