Open AccessAmphibian transcription factor IIIA proteins contain a sequence element functionally equivalent to the nuclear export signal of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev.
Author(s) -
Robert A. Fridell,
Utz Fischer,
Reinhard Lührmann,
Barbara E. Meyer,
Judy L. Meinkoth,
Michael H. Malim,
Bryan R. Cullen
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.93.7.2936
Subject(s) - nuclear export signal , biology , nuclear localization sequence , nuclear transport , nuclear protein , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription (linguistics) , cell nucleus , genetics , gene , linguistics , philosophy
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Rev protein is required for nuclear export of late HIV-1 mRNAs. This function is dependent on the mutationally defined Rev activation domain, which also forms a potent nuclear export signal. Transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) binds to 5S rRNA transcripts and this interaction has been proposed to play a role in the efficient nuclear export of 5S rRNA in amphibian oocytes. Here it is reported that amphibian TFIIIA proteins contain a sequence element with homology to the Rev activation domain that effectively substitutes for this domain in inducing the nuclear export of late HIV-1 mRNAs. It is further demonstrated that this TFIIIA sequence element functions as a protein nuclear export signal in both human cells and frog oocytes. Thus, this shared protein motif may play an analogous role in mediating the nuclear export of both late HIV-1 RNAs and 5S rRNA transcripts.