scholarly journals The High Mobility Group Box Transcription Factor Nhp6Ap Enters the Nucleus by a Calmodulin-dependent, Ran-independent Pathway

2007 ◽  
Vol 282 (46) ◽  
pp. 33743-33751 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Hanover ◽  
Dona C. Love ◽  
Nikki DeAngelis ◽  
Meghan E. O'Kane ◽  
Raquel Lima-Miranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
High Mobility Group ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Nuclear Pore ◽  
Nuclear Entry ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Calmodulin Binding ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved

A gradient of Ran·GTP typically regulates traffic through the nuclear pore by modulating association of receptors with cargo. However, here we demonstrate that the yeast high mobility group box transcription factor Nhp6Ap enters the nucleus via a novel nuclear localization signal recognized by calcium calmodulin in a process that does not require Ran. Calmodulin is strictly required for the nondiffusional nuclear entry of Nhp6Ap. Calmodulin and DNA exhibit mutually exclusive binding to NHP6A, indicating that the directionality of Nhp6Ap nuclear accumulation may be driven by DNA-dependent dissociation of calmodulin. Our findings demonstrate that calmodulin can serve as a molecular switch triggering nuclear entry with subsequent dissociation of calmodulin binding upon interaction of cargo with chromatin. This pathway appears to be evolutionarily conserved; mammalian high mobility group box transcription factors often have two nuclear localization signals: one a classical Ran-dependent signal and a second that binds calmodulin. The finding that Nhp6Ap nuclear entry requires calmodulin but not Ran indicates that Nhp6Ap is a good model for studying this poorly understood but evolutionarily conserved calmodulin-dependent nuclear import pathway.

scholarly journals Multiple Nuclear Localization Signals Mediate Nuclear Localization of the GATA Transcription Factor AreA

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron C. Hunter ◽  
Kendra S. Siebert ◽  
Damien J. Downes ◽  
Koon Ho Wong ◽  
Sara D. Kreutzberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Nitrogen Sources ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Gata Transcription Factor

ABSTRACTTheAspergillus nidulansGATA transcription factor AreA activates transcription of nitrogen metabolic genes in response to nitrogen limitation and is known to accumulate in the nucleus during nitrogen starvation. Sequence analysis of AreA revealed multiple nuclear localization signals (NLSs), five putative classical NLSs conserved in fungal AreA orthologs but not in theSaccharomyces cerevisiaefunctional orthologs Gln3p and Gat1p, and one putative noncanonical RRX33RXR bipartite NLS within the DNA-binding domain. In order to identify the functional NLSs in AreA, we constructedareAmutants with mutations in individual putative NLSs or combinations of putative NLSs and strains expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-AreA NLS fusion genes. Deletion of all five classical NLSs individually or collectively did not affect utilization of nitrogen sources or AreA-dependent gene expression and did not prevent AreA nuclear localization. Mutation of the bipartite NLS conferred the inability to utilize alternative nitrogen sources and abolished AreA-dependent gene expression likely due to effects on DNA binding but did not prevent AreA nuclear localization. Mutation of all six NLSs simultaneously prevented AreA nuclear accumulation. The bipartite NLS alone strongly directed GFP to the nucleus, whereas the classical NLSs collaborated to direct GFP to the nucleus. Therefore, AreA contains multiple conserved NLSs, which show redundancy and together function to mediate nuclear import. The noncanonical bipartite NLS is conserved in GATA factors fromAspergillus, yeast, and mammals, indicating an ancient origin.

scholarly journals Defective Calmodulin-Mediated Nuclear Transport of the Sex-Determining Region of the Y Chromosome (SRY) in XY Sex Reversal

2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1884-1892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Sim ◽  
Kieran Rimmer ◽  
Sabine Kelly ◽  
Louisa M. Ludbrook ◽  
Andrew H. A. Clayton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Y Chromosome ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Sex Reversal ◽  
High Mobility Group ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Xy Sex Reversal

Abstract The sex-determining region of the Y chromosome (SRY) plays a key role in human sex determination, as mutations in SRY can cause XY sex reversal. Although some SRY missense mutations affect DNA binding and bending activities, it is unclear how others contribute to disease. The high mobility group domain of SRY has two nuclear localization signals (NLS). Sex-reversing mutations in the NLSs affect nuclear import in some patients, associated with defective importin-β binding to the C-terminal NLS (c-NLS), whereas in others, importin-β recognition is normal, suggesting the existence of an importin-β-independent nuclear import pathway. The SRY N-terminal NLS (n-NLS) binds calmodulin (CaM) in vitro, and here we show that this protein interaction is reduced in vivo by calmidazolium, a CaM antagonist. In calmidazolium-treated cells, the dramatic reduction in nuclear entry of SRY and an SRY-c-NLS mutant was not observed for two SRY-n-NLS mutants. Fluorescence spectroscopy studies reveal an unusual conformation of SRY.CaM complexes formed by the two n-NLS mutants. Thus, CaM may be involved directly in SRY nuclear import during gonadal development, and disruption of SRY.CaM recognition could underlie XY sex reversal. Given that the CaM-binding region of SRY is well-conserved among high mobility group box proteins, CaM-dependent nuclear import may underlie additional disease states.

Xenopus nuclear factor 7 (xnf7) possesses an NLS that functions efficiently in both oocytes and embryos

1993 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-395
Author(s):  
X. Li ◽  
L.D. Etkin
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signal ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Nuclear Factor ◽  
Zinc Finger Gene ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Localization Signal ◽  
Nuclear Phosphoprotein

Xenopus nuclear factor 7 (xnf7) is a nuclear phosphoprotein that is encoded by a member of a novel zinc finger gene family and likely functions as a transcription factor. It possesses a nuclear localization signal (NLS) similar to the bipartite basic NLS of nucleoplasmin, but unlike nucleoplasmin, which re-enters nuclei immediately after fertilization, xnf7 remains cytoplasmic until the mid-blastula transition (MBT). We have measured the accumulation of injected labeled xnf7 protein or protein produced from synthetic xnf7 transcripts in the oocyte nuclei (GV). The data show that the NLS of xnf7 functions efficiently in oocytes. Mutations in either of the bipartite basic domains of the xnf7 NLS inhibit nuclear accumulation, while mutations in the spacer sequences have no effect. The xnf7 NLS linked to pyruvate kinase directs the efficient accumulation of this protein into nuclei of early embryos prior to the MBT. These data suggest that retention of the xnf7 protein during development is the result of a mechanism that interferes with the xnf7 NLS function.

scholarly journals TNPO3-Mediated Nuclear Entry of the Rous Sarcoma Virus Gag Protein Is Independent of the Cargo-Binding Domain

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Breanna L. Rice ◽  
Matthew S. Stake ◽  
Leslie J. Parent
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Rous Sarcoma Virus ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Nuclear Entry ◽  
Gag Protein ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Rous Sarcoma ◽  
Importin Α ◽  
Sarcoma Virus

ABSTRACT Retroviral Gag polyproteins orchestrate the assembly and release of nascent virus particles from the plasma membranes of infected cells. Although it was traditionally thought that Gag proteins trafficked directly from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, we discovered that the oncogenic avian alpharetrovirus Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) Gag protein undergoes transient nucleocytoplasmic transport as an intrinsic step in virus assembly. Using a genetic approach in yeast, we identified three karyopherins that engage the two independent nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in Gag. The primary NLS is in the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of Gag and binds directly to importin-α, which recruits importin-β to mediate nuclear entry. The second NLS (TNPO3), which resides in the matrix (MA) domain, is dependent on importin-11 and transportin-3 (TNPO3), which are known as MTR10p and Kap120p in yeast, although it is not clear whether these import factors are independent or additive. The functions of importin-α/importin-β and importin-11 have been verified in avian cells, whereas the role of TNPO3 has not been studied. In this report, we demonstrate that TNPO3 directly binds to Gag and mediates its nuclear entry. To our surprise, this interaction did not require the cargo-binding domain (CBD) of TNPO3, which typically mediates nuclear entry for other binding partners of TNPO3, including SR domain-containing splicing factors and tRNAs that reenter the nucleus. These results suggest that RSV hijacks this host nuclear import pathway using a unique mechanism, potentially allowing other cargo to simultaneously bind TNPO3. IMPORTANCE RSV Gag nuclear entry is facilitated using three distinct host import factors that interact with nuclear localization signals in the Gag MA and NC domains. Here, we show that the MA region is required for nuclear import of Gag through the TNPO3 pathway. Gag nuclear entry does not require the CBD of TNPO3. Understanding the molecular basis for TNPO3-mediated nuclear trafficking of the RSV Gag protein may lead to a deeper appreciation for whether different import factors play distinct roles in retrovirus replication.

005.Efficiency of nuclear import of the chromatin-remodelling factor SRY is critical for sex determination

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
D. A. Jans ◽  
G. Kaur ◽  
I. K. H. Poon ◽  
A. Delluc-Clavieries ◽  
K. M. Wagstaff
Keyword(s):  
Sex Determination ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Sex Reversal ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Testicular Cells ◽  
Xy Sex Reversal

15% of cases of human XY sex reversal are due to mutations in SRY (sex determining region on the Y chromosome), many of which map to one of SRY’s two independently acting nuclear localization signals (NLSs) flanking its DNA binding domain. The C-terminal NLS (C-NLS) targets SRY to the nucleus through a ‘conventional’ pathway dependent on the nuclear import receptor importin-β (Imp-β). No importin has been shown to bind the N-terminal NLS (N-NLS), but it is known to interact with the Ca2+-binding protein calmodulin (CaM). We examined seven distinct missense mutations in the SRY NLSs from XY sex-reversed human females for effects on nuclear import and ability to interact with CaM/Imp-β1. All mutations were found to result in reduced nuclear localization in transfected testicular cells compared to wild type. The CaM antagonist, calmidazolium chloride (CDZ), was found to significantly reduce SRY nuclear accumulation, indicating a dependence of SRY nuclear import on CaM. Intriguingly, N-NLS mutants were resistant to CDZ’s effects, implying a loss of interaction with CaM; this was confirmed directly by in vitro binding experiments using recombinantly expressed protein. Either impaired CaM or Imp-β1 binding can thus be the basis of sex-reversal in human patients. Our results implicate a CaM-dependent nuclear import pathway for SRY mediated by the N-NLS that, together with the C-NLS, is required to achieve threshold levels of SRY in the nucleus for male sex determination.

scholarly journals Mechanisms Mediating Nuclear Trafficking Involved in Viral Propagation by DNA Viruses

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1035
Author(s):  
Guohui Li ◽  
Xinyu Qi ◽  
Zhaoyang Hu ◽  
Qi Tang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Viral Entry ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Viral Proteins ◽  
Nuclear Pore ◽  
Nuclear Trafficking ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Virion Assembly ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Viral Propagation

Typical viral propagation involves sequential viral entry, uncoating, replication, gene transcription and protein synthesis, and virion assembly and release. Some viral proteins must be transported into host nucleus to facilitate viral propagation, which is essential for the production of mature virions. During the transport process, nuclear localization signals (NLSs) play an important role in guiding target proteins into nucleus through the nuclear pore. To date, some classical nuclear localization signals (cNLSs) and non-classical NLSs (ncNLSs) have been identified in a number of viral proteins. These proteins are involved in viral replication, expression regulation of viral genes and virion assembly. Moreover, other proteins are transported into nucleus with unknown mechanisms. This review highlights our current knowledge about the nuclear trafficking of cellular proteins associated with viral propagation.

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