title: Heterodimerization with small Maf proteins enhances nuclear retention of Nrf2 via masking the NESzip motif.
abstract: Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response. When exposed to oxidative stress, Nrf2 translocates to cell nucleus and forms heterodimer with small Maf proteins (sMaf). Nrf2/sMaf heterodimer binds specifically to a cis-acting enhancer called antioxidant response element and initiates transcription of a battery of antioxidant and detoxification genes. Nrf2 possesses a NESzip motif (nuclear export signal co-localized with the leucine zipper (ZIP) domain). Heterodimerization with MafG via ZIP-ZIP binding enhanced Nrf2 nuclear retention, which could be abrogated by the deletion of the ZIP domain or site-directed mutations targeting at the ZIP domain. In addition, dimerization with MafG precluded Nrf2zip/CRM1 binding, suggesting that Nrf2/MafG heterodimerization may simultaneously mask the NESzip motif. MafG-mediated nuclear retention may enable Nrf2 proteins to evade cytosolic proteasomal degradation and consequently stabilize Nrf2 signaling. For the first time, we show that under the physiological condition, the NESzip motif can be switched-off by heterodimerization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest-Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Wenge
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Siwang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jung-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A-N Tony
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D001483:Base Sequence; D019281:Dimerization; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D050978:Maf Transcription Factors, Small / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D050978:Maf Transcription Factors, Small; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2