title: Human cytomegalovirus UL84 protein contains two nuclear export signals and shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm.
abstract: Previous studies defined pUL84 of human cytomegalovirus as an essential regulatory protein with nuclear localization that was proposed to act during initiation of viral-DNA synthesis. Recently, we demonstrated that a complex domain of 282 amino acids within pUL84 functions as a nonconventional nuclear localization signal. Sequence inspection of this domain revealed the presence of motifs with homology to leucine-rich nuclear export signals. Here, we report the identification of two functional, autonomous nuclear export signals and show that pUL84 acts as a CRM-1-dependent nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein. This suggests an unexpected cytoplasmic role for this essential viral regulatory protein.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lischka
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rauh
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stamminger
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D028884:Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D049790:Nuclear Export Signals / Q000235:genetics*; D021381:Protein Transport; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097606:Exportin 1 Protein
chemical_list: D028884:Karyopherins; D049790:Nuclear Export Signals; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014764:Viral Proteins; D000097606:Exportin 1 Protein; C072218:UL84 protein, Cytomegalovirus