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Occurrence of beta-turn potentials around nuclear and nucleolar localization sequences.

The biological significance of turn structures is now of great topical interest. By using the protein conformational prediction method of Chou and Fasman, the present work predicts that 17 nuclear localization signals and a nucleolar localization signal reported so far contain turn potentials. Two nuclear localization signals, human lamin A and c-myc protein (peptide M1), however, cannot be predicted as containing beta-turns by the prediction method. To date, no physical characterization of any nuclear or nucleolar location signal by X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been performed. Employing conformation prediction methods, therefore, would be useful for elucidating structural features of nuclear and nucleolar location signals.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular properties and intracellular localization of rat liver nuclear scaffold protein P130.

We examined the molecular basis of rat P130, a nuclear scaffold protein, and its functions. P130 comprising 845 amino acid residues possesses several functional domains and yields an electrophoretically distinctive isoform, P123, by altering its phosphorylation status in association with translocation across the nuclear membrane and from the digitonin-extractable fraction of the nucleus to the nuclear scaffold. The functional domains, NLS, NES, and zinc-finger bearing DNA-binding domains, ZF1 and ZF2, aid these translocations. P130 binds RNA through two RNA-binding domains (RB1 and RB2) similar to those of hnRNPs I and L. Microsome- and polysome-localized P130 and P123 were found in rat liver and Ac2F hepatoma cells. This localization required prior entry of P130 to the nucleus, but did not require RB1 and RB2. Thus, P130 initially purified from rat liver nuclear scaffold has the potential to play a variety of roles in biological events not only in the nuclear scaffold but also in various subcellular compartments. P130 (AB205483) is identical to matrin 3 (M63485 and BC062231), although the primary structure of rat matrin 3 has been revised, since it was first published.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Function of steroidogenic factor 1 domains in nuclear localization, transactivation, and interaction with transcription factor TFIIB and c-Jun.

Normal endocrine development and function require nuclear hormone receptor SF-1 (steroidogenic factor 1). To understand the molecular mechanism of SF-1 action, we have investigated its domain function by mutagenesis and functional analyses. Our mutant studies show that the putative AF2 (activation function 2) helix located at the C-terminal end is indispensable for gene activation. SF-1 does not have an N-terminal AF1 domain. Instead, it contains a unique FP region, composed of the Ftz-F1 box and the proline cluster, after the zinc finger motif. The FP region interacts with transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) in vitro. This interaction requires residues 178-201 of TFIIB, a domain capable of binding several transcription factors. The FP region also mediates physical interaction with c-Jun, and this interaction greatly enhances SF-1 activity. The putative SF-1 ligand, 25-hydroxycholesterol, has no effects on these bindings. In addition, the Ftz-F1 box contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS). Removing the basic residues at either end of the key nuclear localization sequence NLS2.2 abolishes the nuclear transport. Expression of mutants containing only the FP region or lacking the AF2 domain blocks wild-type SF-1 activity in cells. By contrast, the mutant having a truncated nuclear localization signal lacks this dominant negative effect. These results delineate the importance of the FP and AF2 regions in nuclear localization, protein-protein interaction, and transcriptional activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Role of regulatory subunits and protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) in determining nuclear localization and activity of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A.

Regulation of protein kinase A by subcellular localization may be critical to target catalytic subunits to specific substrates. We employed epitope-tagged catalytic subunit to correlate subcellular localization and gene-inducing activity in the presence of regulatory subunit or protein kinase inhibitor (PKI). Transiently expressed catalytic subunit distributed throughout the cell and induced gene expression. Co-expression of regulatory subunit or PKI blocked gene induction and prevented nuclear accumulation. A mutant PKI lacking the nuclear export signal blocked gene induction but not nuclear accumulation, demonstrating that nuclear export is not essential to inhibit gene induction. When the catalytic subunit was targeted to the nucleus with a nuclear localization signal, it was not sequestered in the cytoplasm by regulatory subunit, although its activity was completely inhibited. PKI redistributed the nuclear catalytic subunit to the cytoplasm and blocked gene induction, demonstrating that the nuclear export signal of PKI can override a strong nuclear localization signal. With increasing PKI, the export process appeared to saturate, resulting in the return of catalytic subunit to the nucleus. These results demonstrate that both the regulatory subunit and PKI are able to completely inhibit the gene-inducing activity of the catalytic subunit even when the catalytic subunit is forced to concentrate in the nuclear compartment.

Animals↗

Infectivity analysis of two variable DNA B components of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna in Vigna mungo and Vigna radiata.

Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna (MYMV-Vig), a Begomovirus that causes yellow mosaic disease, was cloned from field-infected blackgram (Vigna mungo). One DNA A clone (KA30) and five different DNA B clones (KA21, KA22, KA27, KA28 and KA34) were obtained. The sequence identity in the 150-nt common region (CR) between DNA A and DNA B was highest (95%) for KA22 DNA B and lowest (85.6%) for KA27 DNA B. The Rep-binding domain had three complete 11-nt (5'-TGTATCGGTGT-3') iterons in KA22 DNA B (and KA21, KA28 and KA34), while the first iteron in KA27 DNA B (5'-ATCGGTGT-3') had a 3-nt deletion. KA27 DNA B, which exhibited 93.9% CR sequence identity to the mungbean-infecting MYMV, also shared the 3-nt deletion in the first iteron besides having an 18-nt insertion between the third iteron and the conserved nonanucleotide. MYMV was found to be closely related to KA27 DNA B in amino acid sequence identity of BV1 (94.1%) and BC1 (97.6%) proteins and in the organization of nuclear localization signal (NLS), nuclear export signal (NES) and phosphorylation sites. Agroinoculation of blackgram (V. mungo) and mungbean (V. radiata) with partial dimers of KA27 and KA22 DNA Bs along with DNA A caused distinctly different symptoms. KA22 DNA B caused more intense yellow mosaic symptoms with high viral DNA titre in blackgram. In contrast, KA27 DNA B caused more intense yellow mosaic symptoms with high viral DNA titre in mungbean. Thus, DNA B of MYMVVig is an important determinant of host-range between V. mungo and V. radiata.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Growth suppression of Leydig TM3 cells mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induces developmental toxicity in reproductive organs. To elucidate the function of AhR, we generated stable transformants of TM3 cells overexpressing wild-type aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) or its mutants which carried mutations in nuclear localization signal or nuclear export signal. In the presence of 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), proliferation of the cells transfected with wild-type AhR was completely suppressed, whereas cells expressing AhR mutants proliferated in a manner equivalent to control TM3 cells, suggesting AhR-dependent growth inhibition. The suppression was associated with up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21Cip1, which was abolished by pretreatment with actinomycin D. A p38 MAPK specific inhibitor, SB203580, blocked the increase of p21Cip1 mRNA in response to MC. Treatment with indigo, another AhR ligand, failed to increase of p21Cip1 mRNA, although up-regulation of mRNA for CYP1A1 was observed. These data suggest AhR in Leydig cells mediates growth inhibition by inducing p21Cip1.

Animals↗

Redistribution of the kinesin-II subunit KAP from cilia to nuclei during the mitotic and ciliogenic cycles in sea urchin embryos.

KAP is the non-motor subunit of the heteromeric plus-end directed microtubule (MT) motor protein kinesin-II essential for normal cilia formation. Studies in Chlamydomonas have demonstrated that kinesin-II drives the anterograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) of protein complexes along ciliary axonemes. We used a green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimera of KAP, KAP-GFP, to monitor movements of this kinesin-II subunit in cells of sea urchin blastulae where cilia are retracted and rebuilt with each mitosis. As expected if involved in IFT, KAP-GFP localized to apical cytoplasm, basal bodies, and cilia and became concentrated on basal bodies of newly forming cilia. Surprisingly, after ciliary retraction early in mitosis, KAP-GFP moved into nuclei before nuclear envelope breakdown, was again present in nuclei after nuclear envelope reformation, and only decreased in nuclei as ciliogenesis reinitiated. Nuclear transport of KAP-GFP could be due to a putative nuclear localization signal and nuclear export signals identified in the sea urchin KAP primary sequence. Our observation of a protein involved in IFT being imported into the nucleus after ciliary retraction and again after nuclear envelope reformation suggests KAP115 may serve as a signal to the nucleus to reinitiate cilia formation during sea urchin development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cloning vectors for the expression of green fluorescent protein fusion proteins in transgenic plants.

A series of versatile cloning vectors has been constructed that facilitate the expression of protein fusions to the Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) in plant cells. Amino-terminal- and carboxy-terminal protein fusions have been created and visualized by epifluorescence microscopy, both in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and after transient expression in onion epidermal cells. Using tandem dimers and other protein fusions to GFP, we found that the previously described localization of wild-type GFP to the cell nucleus is most likely due to diffusion of GFP across the nuclear envelope rather than to a cryptic nuclear localization signal. A fluorescence-based, quantitative assay for nuclear localization signals is described. In addition, we have employed the previously characterized mutants GFP-S65T and GFP-Y66H in order to allow for the expression of red-shifted and blue fluorescent proteins, respectively, which are suitable for double-labeling studies. Expression of GFP-fusions was controlled by a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Using the Arabidopsis COP1 protein as a model, we confirmed a close similarity in the subcellular localization of native COP1 and the GFP-tagged COP1 protein. We demonstrated that COP1 was localized to discrete subnuclear particles and further confirmed that fusion to GFP did not compromise the activity of the wild-type COP1 protein.

Arabidopsis↗

Karyopherins and kissing cousins.

In eukaryotic cells, a regulated flux of molecules between the cytoplasm and the nucleus maintains two very different environments while allowing the controlled exchange of macromolecules necessary for their individual functions. Molecules entering or leaving the nucleus use nuclear localization signals or nuclear export signals to pass through selective channels in the nuclear envelope formed by nuclear pore complexes. The recognition of signal-bearing cargo, its interaction with the nuclear pore complex and its translocation through the pore complex are mediated by soluble transport factors. Recently, the list of potential transport factors has grown rapidly, suggesting a previously unanticipated level of complexity for nuclear transport.

Animals↗

cDNA cloning and characterization of a novel gene encoding the MLF1-interacting protein MLF1IP.

Myelodysplasia/acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) is characterized by a t(3;5)(q25.1;q34) chromosomal translocation that forms a fusion gene between nucleophosmin (NPM) and MDS/myeloid leukemia factor 1 (MLF1). We identified a novel protein, MLF1-interacting protein (MLF1IP), that specifically associates with MLF1 by yeast two-hybrid analysis and in pulldown assays, and colocalizes with it in both the nuclei and cytoplasm of cells. The MLF1IP gene locus is at chromosome 4q35.1 and is composed of 14 exons spanning 75.8 kb of genomic DNA. The MLF1IP cDNA encodes a 46-kDa protein that contains two bipartite and two classical nuclear localization signals, two nuclear receptor-binding motifs (LXXLL), two leucine zippers, two PEST residues and several potential phosphorylation sites. MLF1IP transcripts are expressed in a variety of tissues (e.g. fetal liver, bone marrow, thymus and testis). MLF1IP appears to be a lineage-specific gene whose expression is confined exclusively to the CFU-E erythroid precursor cells, but not in mature erythrocytes. These observations, together with previous data demonstrating a role for MLF1 in suppressing red cell maturation, suggest a possible role for MLF1IP and MLF1 deregulation in the genesis of erythroleukemias.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A novel procedure for the localization of viral RNAs in protoplasts and whole plants.

Analysis of virus spread using co-expressed reporter proteins has provided important details on cell-to-cell and long-distance movement of viruses in plants. However, most viruses cannot tolerate insertion of large non-viral segments or loss of any open-reading frames, procedures required to detect viruses non-evasively. A technique used to localize mRNAs intracellularly in yeast has been modified for detection of viral RNAs in whole plants. The technique makes use of the binding of the coat protein of MS2 bacteriophage (CPMS2) to a 19 base hairpin (hp). A fusion protein, consisting of the CPMS2, green fluorescent protein (GFP), and a nuclear localization signal (NLS), was nuclear-localized upon transient expression in protoplasts. However, addition of the hp to the 3' untranslated region of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV-hp) and co-transfection of the virus and fusion protein construct into protoplasts resulted in the re-location of GFP to the cytoplasm. Neither the insertion of the hp nor the interaction with the fusion protein impaired any viral functions. Transgenic plants expressing the GFP-NLS-CPMS2 fusion protein were generated, and GFP was detected in nuclei of young plant cells. Foci of GFP cytoplasmic fluorescence were detected in TCV-hp-inoculated leaves at 2 days post-inoculation. Later, GFP was detected in young leaves near the midvein and in the base (support) cells of trichomes in the vicinity of secondary and tertiary veins. In older leaves, cytoplasmic GFP could be visualized throughout many of the leaves. This technique should be amenable for detection of any virus with a transformable plant (or animal) host and may also prove useful for localizing properly engineered host RNAs.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Determinants of nuclear and cytoplasmic ubiquitin-mediated degradation of MyoD.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is responsible for the regulation and turnover of many short-lived proteins both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Degradation can occur via two distinct pathways, an N terminus-dependent pathway and a lysine-dependent pathway. The pathways are characterized by the site of initial ubiquitination of the protein, the N terminus or an internal lysine, respectively. MyoD, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, is a substrate for the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and is degraded in the nucleus. It is preferentially tagged for degradation on the N terminus and thus is degraded by the N terminus-dependent pathway. Addition of a 6x Myc tag to the N terminus of MyoD can force degradation through the lysine-dependent pathway by preventing ubiquitination at the N-terminal site. Modifications of the nuclear localization signal and nuclear export signal of MyoD restrict ubiquitination and degradation to the cytoplasm or the nucleus. Using these mutants, we determined which degradation pathway is dominant in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Our results suggest that the lysine-dependent pathway is the more active pathway within the cytoplasm, whereas in the nucleus the two pathways are both active in protein degradation.

Cell Nucleus↗

Phosphorylation of Ser-446 determines stability of MKP-7.

MAPK cascades can be negatively regulated by members of the MAPK phosphatase (MKP) family. However, how MKP activity is regulated is not well characterized. MKP-7, a JNK-specific phosphatase, possesses a unique COOH-terminal stretch (CTS) in addition to domains conserved among MKP family members. The CTS contains several motifs such as a nuclear localization signal, a nuclear export signal, PEST sequences, and a serine residue (Ser-446) that can be phosphorylated by activated ERK, suggesting an important regulatory role(s).(35)S-pulse labeling experiments indicate that the half-life of MKP-7 is 1.5 h, a period significantly elongated by deleting the CTS. We also show that overexpressed MKP-7 is polyubiquitinated when co-expressed with ubiquitin and that proteasome inhibitors markedly inhibit MKP-7 degradation. We also determined that MKP-7 phosphorylated at Ser-446 has a longer half-life than unphosphorylated form of the wild type protein, as does a phospho-mimic mutant of MKP-7. These results indicate that activation of the ERK pathway strongly blocks JNK activation through stabilization of MKP-7 mediated by phosphorylation.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Uracil-DNA glycosylase-deficient yeast exhibit a mitochondrial mutator phenotype.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported in cancer and are involved in the pathogenesis of many mitochondrial diseases. Uracil-DNA glycosylase, encoded by the UNG1 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, repairs uracil in DNA formed due to deamination of cytosine. Our study demonstrates that inactivation of the UNG1 gene leads to at least a 3-fold increased frequency of mutations in mtDNA compared with the wild-type. Using a Ung1p-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion construct, we demonstrate that yeast yUng1-GFP protein localizes to both mitochondria and the nucleus, indicating that Ung1p must contain both a mitochondrial localization signal (MLS) and a nuclear localization signal. Our study reveals that the first 16 amino acids at the N-terminus contain the yUng1p MLS. Deletion of 16 amino acids resulted in the yUng1p-GFP fusion protein being transported to the nucleus. We also investigated the intracellular localization of human hUng1p-GFP in yeast. Our data indicate that hUng1p-GFP predominantly localizes to the mitochondria. Further analysis identified the N-terminal 16 amino acids as important for localization of hUng1 protein into the mitochondria. Expression of both yeast and human UNG1 cDNA suppressed the frequency of mitochondrial mutation in UNG1-deficient cells. However, expression of yUNG1 in wild-type cells increased the frequency of mutations in mtDNA, suggesting that elevated expression of Ung1p is mutagenic. An increase in the frequency of mitochondrial mutants was also observed when hUNG1 site-directed mutants (Y147C and Y147S) were expressed in mitochondria. Our study suggests that deamination of cytosine is a frequent event in S.cerevisiae mitochondria and both yeast and human Ung1p repairs deaminated cytosine in mitochondria.

DNA Glycosylases↗

Identification of a novel cellular transcriptional repressor interacting with the latent nuclear antigen of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus.

The latent nuclear antigen (LNA) of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has an essential role in viral latent infection. LNA maintains the stability of KSHV episomes and modulates the expression of cellular genes. A novel cellular protein KLIP1 was identified to interact with LNA through yeast two-hybrid screening, and confirmed by a glutathione S-transferase pull down assay. Domain mapping showed that KLIP1 interacted with the N-terminal domain of LNA. Northern blot hybridization with a KLIP1 probe identified a major transcript of 1.8 kb and a minor transcript of 2.8 kb. cDNA library screening and 5'-RACE revealed that the major transcript encoded an open-reading-frame of 1,257 bp and had a 5'-untranslated region of 73 nucleotides. The major KLIP1 transcript was ubiquitously present in different cell types examined. A KLIP1 synthetic peptide antibody detected a doublet of 58-kDa and 63-kDa proteins in a Western blot assay. KLIP1 had two putative nuclear localization signals and showed punctate nuclear localization when expressed as a GFP-fusion protein. KLIP1 interacted with LNA in vivo, as demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation using KSHV-infected cells and colocalization when they were expressed as GFP- and DsRed-fusion proteins, respectively. Consistent with its interaction with LNA, nuclear localization, and possession of two leucine zipper motifs, KLIP1 behaved like a transcriptional factor and repressed herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) promoter activity in a mammalian one-hybrid assay. In addition, cotransfection with LNA alleviated the transcriptional repression effect of KLIP1 on TK promoter activity. These results suggest that KLIP1 is a new member of cellular transcriptional repressors, and that LNA is involved in deregulating cellular transcription process.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The cellular localization pattern of Varicella-Zoster virus ORF29p is influenced by proteasome-mediated degradation.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) open reading frame 29 (ORF29) encodes a single-stranded DNA binding protein. During lytic infection, ORF29p is localized primarily to infected-cell nuclei, whereas during latency it appears in the cytoplasm of infected neurons. Following reactivation, ORF29p accumulates in the nucleus. In this report, we analyze the cellular localization patterns of ORF29p during VZV infection and during autonomous expression. Our results demonstrate that ORF29p is excluded from the nucleus in a cell-type-specific manner and that its cellular localization pattern may be altered by subsequent expression of VZV ORF61p or herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP0. In these cases, ORF61p and ICP0 induce nuclear accumulation of ORF29p in cell lines where it normally remains cytoplasmic. One cellular system utilized by ICP0 to influence protein abundance is the proteasome degradation pathway. Inhibition of the 26S proteasome, but not heat shock treatment, resulted in accumulation of ORF29p in the nucleus, similar to the effect of ICP0 expression. Immunofluorescence microscopy and pulse-chase experiments reveal that stabilization of ORF29p correlates with its nuclear accumulation and is dependent on a functional nuclear localization signal. ORF29p nuclear translocation in cultured enteric neurons and cells derived from an astrocytoma is reversible, as the protein's distribution and stability revert to the previous states when the proteasomal activity is restored. Thus, stabilization of ORF29p leads to its nuclear accumulation. Although proteasome inhibition induces ORF29p nuclear accumulation, this is not sufficient to reactivate latent VZV or target the immediate-early protein ORF62p to the nucleus in cultured guinea pig enteric neurons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human CDC6/Cdc18 associates with Orc1 and cyclin-cdk and is selectively eliminated from the nucleus at the onset of S phase.

In a two-hybrid screen for proteins that interact with human PCNA, we identified and cloned a human protein (hCdc18) homologous to yeast CDC6/Cdc18 and human Orc1. Unlike yeast, in which the rapid and total destruction of CDC6/Cdc18 protein in S phase is a central feature of DNA replication, the total level of the human protein is unchanged throughout the cell cycle. Epitope-tagged protein is nuclear in G1 and cytoplasmic in S-phase cells, suggesting that DNA replication may be regulated by either the translocation of this protein between the nucleus and the cytoplasm or the selective degradation of the protein in the nucleus. Mutation of the only nuclear localization signal of this protein does not alter its nuclear localization, implying that the protein is translocated to the nucleus through its association with other nuclear proteins. Rapid elimination of the nuclear pool of this protein after the onset of DNA replication and its association with human Orc1 protein and cyclin-cdks supports its identification as human CDC6/Cdc18 protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of the WBSCR9 gene, encoding a novel transcriptional regulator, in the Williams-Beuren syndrome deletion at 7q11.23.

We have identified a novel gene (WBSCR9) within the common Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) deletion by interspecies sequence conservation. The WBSCR9 gene encodes a roughly 7-kb transcript with an open reading frame of 1483 amino acids and a predicted protein product size of 170.8 kDa. WBSCR9 is comprised of at least 20 exons extending over 60 kb. The transcript is expressed ubiquitously throughout development and is subject to alternative splicing. Functional motifs identified by sequence homology searches include a bromodomain; a PHD, or C4HC3, finger; several putative nuclear localization signals; four nuclear receptor binding motifs; a polyglutamate stretch and two PEST sequences. Bromodomains, PHD motifs and nuclear receptor binding motifs are cardinal features of proteins that are involved in chromatin remodeling and modulation of transcription. Haploinsufficiency for WBSCR9 gene products may contribute to the complex phenotype of WBS by interacting with tissue-specific regulatory factors during development.

Animals↗