NUTF2 (Nuclear Transport Factor 2) is a small, evolutionarily conserved protein critical for nucleocytoplasmic transport, a fundamental process in eukaryotic cells. It functions as a key component of the nuclear import machinery by binding to the GDP-bound form of Ran (Ras-related nuclear protein), a GTPase regulating directional transport. NUTF2 facilitates the recycling of Ran from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, ensuring the maintenance of the RanGDP-RanGTP gradient essential for proper cargo shuttling via importin-β receptors. Structurally, NUTF2 forms a homodimer and interacts with both RanGDP and nucleoporins at nuclear pore complexes.
Antibodies targeting NUTF2 are widely used in research to study nuclear transport dynamics, subcellular localization, and protein-protein interactions. They enable detection of endogenous NUTF2 levels through techniques like Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation. Studies utilizing these antibodies have revealed NUTF2's roles beyond transport, including mitotic spindle regulation and potential links to cancer progression, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections that hijack nuclear import pathways. Its conserved structure across species (from yeast to humans) makes NUTF2 antibodies valuable tools in comparative biology. Dysregulation of NUTF2 expression has been observed in certain malignancies, positioning it as a biomarker candidate and therapeutic target in oncology research.