Nuclear Pore Complex Interacting Protein Like Protein 1 (NPIPL1)

NPIPL1 belongs to the NPIP family. Ohno (1970) observed that gene duplication followed by adaptive evolution is a primary force for the emergence of new gene function. Johnson et al. (2001) described such a proliferative event in a 20-kb duplicated segment termed LCR16a that occurred after the divergence of humans and African apes from Old World monkeys. Whereas 1 or 2 copies of the segment could be found in baboons, there are 9, 17, 15, and 25 to 30 copies in orangutans, gorillas, humans, and chimpanzees, respectively. Within this segment, Johnson et al. (2001) identified the NPIP gene by genomic sequence analysis and yeast 2-hybrid screening. The deduced 347-amino acid NPIP protein is membrane bound. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated localization of NPIP to the nuclear membrane and colocalization with nucleoporin p62 (NUP62).