Biophysical Journal 87 6

Cover picture: Distribution of wheat germ agglutinin (green) and molecular beacons (red) after their consecutive injections in the cytoplasm of chicken embryonic fibroblasts. Wheat germ agglutinin is a small protein that binds to some of the nuclear pore proteins and thereby inhibits active transport processes through the nuclear pores. Molecular beacons are hairpin-shaped oligonucleotide probes that become fluorescent upon binding to a specific RNA. Normally, these probes are rapidly sequestered into the nucleus. However, a prior treatment with wheat germ agglutinin slows down that process. See the article by Tyagi and Alsmadi on page 4153.