Abstract
In higher eukaryotes, most mRNAs that encode secreted or membrane-bound proteins contain elements that promote an alternative mRNA nuclear export (ALREX) pathway. Here we report that ALREX-promoting elements also potentiate translation in the presence of upstream nuclear factors. These RNA elements interact directly with, and likely co-evolved with, the zinc finger repeats of RanBP2/Nup358, which is present on the cytoplasmic face of the nuclear pore. Finally we show that RanBP2/Nup358 is not only required for the stimulation of translation by ALREX-promoting elements, but is also required for the efficient global synthesis of proteins targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and likely the mitochondria. Thus upon the completion of export, mRNAs containing ALREX-elements likely interact with RanBP2/Nup358, and this step is required for the efficient translation of these mRNAs in the cytoplasm. ALREX-elements thus act as nucleotide platforms to coordinate various steps of post-transcriptional regulation for the majority of mRNAs that encode secreted proteins.