In eukaryotic cells, the facilitated movement of macromolecules through the nuclear pore complex is an essential step in gene regulation. Transcription factors are imported into the nucleus while the final products of transcription, mRNA transcripts, are exported to the cytoplasm. The Corbett laboratory seeks to understand how these transport events contribute to the regulation of gene expression and how defects in these processes lead to human diseases such as mental retardation and muscular dystrophy. To seek these answers, we employ a large number of diverse approaches including genetic methods that exploit the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cell biological methods, systems approaches, and biochemical and structural methods. In addition to budding yeast, we use cultured patient cells, Drosophila models, and transgenic mice.