Thr199 phosphorylation targets nucleophosmin to nuclear speckles and represses pre-mRNA processing

FEBS Lett. 2006 Jan 23;580(2):399-409. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2005.12.022. Epub 2005 Dec 19.

Abstract

Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a multifunctional phosphoprotein, being involved in ribosome assembly, pre-ribosomal RNA processing, DNA duplication, nucleocytoplasmic protein trafficking, and centrosome duplication. NPM is phosphorylated by several kinases, including nuclear kinase II, casein kinase 2, Polo-like kinase 1 and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK1 and 2), and these phosphorylations modulate the activity and function of NPM. We have previously identified Thr(199) as the major phosphorylation site of NPM mediated by CDK2/cyclin E (and A), and this phosphorylation is involved in the regulation of centrosome duplication. In this study, we further examined the effect of CDK2-mediated phosphorylation of NPM by using the antibody that specifically recognizes NPM phosphorylated on Thr(199). We found that the phospho-Thr(199) NPM localized to dynamic sub-nuclear structures known as nuclear speckles, which are believed to be the sites of storage and/or assembly of pre-mRNA splicing factors. Phosphorylation on Thr(199) by CDK2/cyclin E (and A) targets NPM to nuclear speckles, and enhances the RNA-binding activity of NPM. Moreover, phospho-Thr(199) NPM, but not unphosphorylated NPM, effectively represses pre-mRNA splicing. These findings indicate the involvement of NPM in the regulation of pre-mRNA processing, and its activity is controlled by CDK2-mediated phosphorylation on Thr(199).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Phospho-Specific / metabolism
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclin A / metabolism
  • Cyclin E / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nucleophosmin
  • Phosphorylation
  • RNA Precursors / metabolism*
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Threonine / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Phospho-Specific
  • Cyclin A
  • Cyclin E
  • NPM1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Nucleophosmin
  • Threonine
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2