The transport of protein and large RNAs through the nuclear pore complexes (NPC) is an energy-dependent and regulated process. The import of proteins with a nuclear localization signal (NLS) is accomplished by recognition of one or more clusters of basic amino acids by the importin-alpha/beta complex; see MIM 600685 and MIM 602738. The small GTPase RAN (MIM 601179) plays a key role in NLS-dependent protein import. RAN-binding protein-16 is a member of the importin-beta superfamily of nuclear transport receptors.[supplied by OMIM, Jul 2002]