Komoike Yuta
   Department   School of Medicine, School of Medicine
   Position   Associate Professor
Article types Original article
Language English
Peer review Peer reviewed
Title Identification of a nuclear localization signal in mouse polycomb protein, M33.
Journal Formal name:Zoological science
Abbreviation:Zoolog Sci
ISSN code:0289-0003
Volume, Issue, Page 23(9),pp.785-91
Author and coauthor Hirose Sayako, Komoike Yuta, Higashinakagawa Toru
Authorship 2nd author
Publication date 2006/09
Summary The mouse Polycomb group (PcG) protein M33 forms nuclear complexes with the products of other PcG members and maintains repressed states of developmentally important genes, including homeotic genes. In this context, nuclear localization is a prerequisite for M33 to exert its function. However, we previously found that M33 in mouse liver shuttles dynamically between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, depending on the proliferative states of cells, coupled with phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of M33 protein. To understand the mechanism and significance of this phenomenon, we identified the functional nuclear localization signal (NLS) of M33 protein. Deletion mutants that lack a particular one of three putative NLS motifs failed to localize in the nucleus. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to this motif specifically localized in the nucleus. We conclude that this amino-acid stretch in M33 acts as the functional NLS for this protein.
DOI 10.2108/zsj.23.785
PMID 17043400