NUP176

NUP176 (PF3D7_1352400) is a Plasmodium-specific constituent of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), identified by TurboID proximity labeling with the nucleoporin NUP313 as bait and confirmed at the NPC by GFP tagging in P. berghei, where deletion attempts indicate it is essential for parasite survival (PMID:36040030). It lacks primary sequence homology to proteins outside the Plasmodium genus (PMID:36040030). Beyond its NPC membership, no catalytic activity or detailed mechanistic role has been characterized for NUP176 in the available corpus.

1. 2022 Medium

   Whether PF3D7_1352400 encodes a nuclear pore component was unknown; proximity labeling from a known nucleoporin placed it at the NPC and established it as an essential, Plasmodium-restricted parasite protein.

   Evidence TurboID proximity labeling with NUP313 bait plus affinity purification/MS, GFP live imaging, and gene deletion attempts in P. berghei

   PMID:36040030

   Open questions at the time

   • No specific molecular function or interaction interface within the NPC defined
   • Essentiality inferred from failed deletion rather than a conditional knockdown phenotype
   • Stoichiometry and position within the NPC architecture unresolved
2. 2026 Low

   Whether NUP176 engages factors involved in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking was untested; co-purification with the cryptochrome-like protein PfDPL placed NUP176 among NPC constituents associating with PfDPL.

   Evidence Co-purification/pulldown with MS using PfDPL as bait in P. falciparum

   PMID:41986327

   Open questions at the time

   • Single co-purification with no NUP176-specific functional follow-up or reciprocal validation
   • Direct versus indirect (whole-NPC) association with PfDPL not distinguished
   • No mechanistic role in trafficking assigned to NUP176 itself

• The specific molecular function of NUP176 within the NPC, its direct binding partners, and its role in nucleocytoplasmic transport remain undefined.
• No structural model or defined domain function
• No direct interaction partners established beyond NPC co-membership
• No conditional loss-of-function phenotype characterizing its essential role