Identification of multiple nuclear localization signals in murine Elf3, an ETS transcription factor

Do, Hyun-Jin; Song, Hyuk; Yang, Heung-Mo; Kim, Dong-Ku; Kim, Nam-Hyung; Kim, Jin-Hoi; Cha, Kwang-Yul; Chung, Hyung-Min; Kim, Jae-Hwan

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2006.02.049

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Volume 580, Issue 7 , Pages 1865-1871, 20 March 2006

Identification of multiple nuclear localization signals in murine Elf3, an ETS transcription factor

Edited by Ned Mantei

Hyun-Jin Do
- Chabiotech Co. Ltd., Seoul 135-907, South Korea
Hyuk Song
- Department of Animal Science, College of Natural Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea
Heung-Mo Yang
- Chabiotech Co. Ltd., Seoul 135-907, South Korea
Dong-Ku Kim
- Cell and Gene Therapy Research Institute, Graduate School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Pochon CHA University, 606-13 Yeoksam 1 dong, Kangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-907, South Korea
Nam-Hyung Kim
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheong-Ju, Chungbuk 361-763, South Korea
Jin-Hoi Kim
- Major in Dairy Science, Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju, Gyeongnam 660-360, South Korea
Kwang-Yul Cha
- Cell and Gene Therapy Research Institute, Graduate School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Pochon CHA University, 606-13 Yeoksam 1 dong, Kangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-907, South Korea
Hyung-Min Chung
- Cell and Gene Therapy Research Institute, Graduate School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Pochon CHA University, 606-13 Yeoksam 1 dong, Kangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-907, South Korea
Jae-Hwan Kim
- Cell and Gene Therapy Research Institute, Graduate School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Pochon CHA University, 606-13 Yeoksam 1 dong, Kangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-907, South Korea
- Corresponding author. Fax: +82 2 3468 3373.

Received 15 December 2005; received in revised form 17 February 2006; accepted 17 February 2006. published online 23 February 2006.

Abstract

We investigated nuclear localization signal (NLS) determinants within the AT-hook and ETS DNA-binding domains of murine Elf3 (mElf3), a member of the subfamily of epithelium-specific ETS transcription factors. Deletion mutants containing the AT-hook, ETS domain or both localized strictly in the nucleus, suggesting that these individual domains contain independent NLS motif(s). Within the AT-hook domain, four basic residues (²⁴⁴KRKR²⁴⁷) were critical for strong NLS activity, and two potent bipartite NLS motifs (236–252 and 249–267) were sufficient for nuclear import of mElf3, although less efficient than the full domain. In addition, one stretch of basic residues (³¹⁸KKK³²⁰) within the ETS domain appears to be essential for mElf3 nuclear localization. Taken together, mElf3 contains multiple NLS motifs, which may function cooperatively to effect efficient nuclear transport.

Abbreviations: NLS, nuclear localization signal, mElf3, murine Elf3, ETS factors, E26 transformation-specific factors, ESE, epithelium-specific ETS

Keywords: ETS, mElf3, Nuclear localization signal, Transcription factor