SURF6 Nucleolar Protein: Known Properties and Possible Functions

Abstract The nucleolus is the main subnuclear compartment in which ribosome biogenesis occurs. Also, the nucleolus is the center of the stress response and is involved in the regulation of many processes, in particular, cell-cycle progression, aging, and apoptosis. New data also link the nucleolus with control of the genome stability and the development of human malignant neoplasms. In proliferating mammalian cells, the nucleolus is generally composed of proteins, most of which are represented by factors involved in the transcription of ribosomal genes, the processing of newly formed pre-rRNA transcripts, and the assembly of ribosomal particles. However, about a third of the proteins found in the isolated nucleoli are poorly studied, and their role in the cellular metabolism is still unclear. These proteins include, in particular, the evolutionarily conserved nucleolar protein SURF6, which is described in this work.