title: GLTSCR2/PICT-1, a putative tumor suppressor gene product, induces the nucleolar targeting of the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus KS-Bcl-2 protein.
abstract: KS-Bcl-2, encoded by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), is a structural and functional homologue of the Bcl-2 family of apoptosis regulators. Like several other Bcl-2 family members, KS-Bcl-2 protects cells from apoptosis and autophagy. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen and coimmunoprecipitation assays, we identified a novel KS-Bcl-2-interacting protein, referred to as protein interacting with carboxyl terminus 1 (PICT-1), encoded by a candidate tumor suppressor gene, GLTSCR2. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed nucleolar localization of PICT-1, whereas KS-Bcl-2 was located mostly at the mitochondrial membranes with a small fraction in the nucleoli. Ectopic expression of PICT-1 resulted in a large increase in the nucleolar fraction of KS-Bcl-2, and only a minor fraction remained in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, knockdown of endogenous PICT-1 abolished the nucleolar localization of KS-Bcl-2. However, ectopically expressed PICT-1 did not alter the cellular distribution of human Bcl-2. Subsequent analysis mapped the crucial amino acid sequences of both KS-Bcl-2 and PICT-1 required for their interaction and for KS-Bcl-2 targeting to the nucleolus. Functional studies suggest a correlation between nucleolar targeting of KS-Bcl-2 by PICT-1 and reduction of the antiapoptotic activity of KS-Bcl-2. Thus, these studies demonstrate a cellular mechanism to sequester KS-Bcl-2 from the mitochondria and to downregulate its virally encoded antiapoptotic activity. Additional characterization of the interaction of KS-Bcl-2 and PICT-1 is likely to shed light on the functions of both proteins.
authors.affiliation: The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kalt
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borodianskiy-Shteinberg
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schachor
authors.forename: Ronit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarid
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000378:metabolism*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C500712:NOP53 protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins