title: A short amino acid sequence able to specify nuclear location.
abstract: A short sequence of amino acids including Lys-128 is required for the normal nuclear accumulation of wild-type and deleted forms of SV40 large T antigen. A cytoplasmic large T mutant that lacks sequences from around Lys-128 localizes to the nucleus if the missing sequence is attached to its amino terminus. The implication that the sequence element around Lys-128 acts as an autonomous signal capable of specifying nuclear location was tested directly by transferring it to the amino termini of beta-galactosidase and of pyruvate kinase, normally a cytoplasmic protein. Sequences that included the putative signal induced each of the fusion proteins to accumulate completely in the nucleus but had no discernible effect when Lys-128 was replaced by Thr. By reducing the size of the transposed sequence we conclude that Pro-Lys-Lys-Lys-Arg-Lys-Val can act as a nuclear location signal. The sequence may represent a prototype of similar sequences in other nuclear proteins.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005796:Genes; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007668:Kidney; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014162:Transfection; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D014764:Viral Proteins; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D001616:beta-Galactosidase