Size and Complexity
The entire nuclear pore complex (NPC) has a diameter of about 120 nanometers, the diameter of the opening (functional diameter) is about 9 nanometers wide and its "depth" is about 200 nanometers. It had been suggested that the pore can be dilated to around 39 nanometers to allow molecule passage. The molecular mass of the mammalian NPC is about 120 megadaltons and it contains approximately 30 different protein components, each in multiple copies. In contrast, the yeast model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae is smaller, weighing only 66MDa.
Read more about this topic: Nuclear Pore
Famous quotes containing the words size and/or complexity:
“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 17:20.
“It is not only their own need to mother that takes some women by surprise; there is also the shock of discovering the complexity of alternative child-care arrangements that have been made to sound so simple. Those for whom the intended solution is equal parenting have found that some parents are more equal than others.”
—Elaine Heffner (20th century)