In recent years, the nuclear pore complex (NPC) has emerged as a key player in genome regulation and cellular homeostasis. New discoveries have revealed that the NPC has multiple cellular functions besides mediating the molecular exchange between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In this review, we discuss non-transport aspects of the NPC focusing on the NPC-genome interaction, the extreme longevity of the NPC proteins, and NPC dysfunction in age-related diseases. The examples summarized herein demonstrate that the NPC, which first evolved to enable the biochemical communication between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, now doubles as the gatekeeper of cellular identity and aging.

近年来，核孔复合体 (NPC) 已成为基因组调控和细胞稳态的关键参与者。新发现表明，NPC除了介导细胞核和细胞质之间的分子交换外，还具有多种细胞功能。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 NPC 的非转运方面，重点是 NPC-基因组相互作用、NPC 蛋白的极端寿命以及与年龄相关的疾病中的 NPC 功能障碍。本文总结的例子表明，最初进化为能够在细胞核和细胞质之间进行生化通讯的 NPC 现在兼任细胞身份和衰老的守门人。