title: Identification of a common subnuclear localization signal.
abstract: Proteins share peptidic sequences, such as a nuclear localization signal (NLS), which guide them to particular membrane-bound compartments. Similarities have also been observed within different classes of signals that target proteins to membrane-less subnuclear compartments. Common localization signals affect spatial and temporal subcellular organization and are thought to allow the coordinated response of different molecular networks to a given signaling cue. Here we identify a higher-order and predictive code, {[RR(I/L)X(3)r]((n, n > or = 1))+[L(phi/N)(V/L)]((n,n>1))}, that establishes high-affinity interactions between a group of proteins and the nucleolus in response to a specific signal. This position-independent code is referred to as a nucleolar detention signal regulated by H(+) (NoDS(H+)) and the class of proteins includes the cIAP2 apoptotic regulator, VHL ubiquitylation factor, HSC70 heat shock protein and RNF8 transcription regulator. By identifying a common subnuclear targeting consensus sequence, our work reveals rules governing the dynamics of subnuclear organization and ascribes new modes of regulation to several proteins with diverse steady-state distributions and dynamic properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ONT, Canada, K1H 8M5.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mekhail
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rivero-Lopez
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Masri
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brandon
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khacho
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000378:metabolism*; D036681:Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein