Cover image

Cover A genome-wide RNAi screen in Drosophila cells identifies factors essential to the process of mRNA export from the nucleus. Shown here is an artistic arrangement of confocal microscopy images of Drosophila S2R⁺ cell nuclei that have been treated with dsRNAs targeting the mRNA export factors NXF1 and Rrp6. mRNA is visualized by RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization using a Cy3-conjugated oligo-d(T)₃₀ probe (red). Alexa-488-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (WGA, green) was used as a nuclear rim marker. dsRNA-mediated depletion of NXF1 and Rrp6 results in an mRNA export blockage and the subsequent accumulation of polyadenylated mRNA in the nuclear compartment. Note that the underlying red halo effect is an artistic embellishment. (For details, see Farny et al., p. 66.)