Mapping nucleolar localization sequences of 1A6/DRIM

Human 1A6/downregulated in metastasis (DRIM) is a nucleolar protein with multiple HEAT-repeat motifs (Huntington, elongation factor 3, a subunit of protein phosphatase 2A, target of rapamycin). The yeast homologue to 1A6/DRIM, Utp20, is part of the small subunit processome and functions in 18S RNA processing. In the present study, we utilized the green fluorescent protein as the fusion protein marker to investigate the sequence responsible for 1A6/DRIM accumulation in nucleolus. Deletion sequence analysis demonstrated that a single region located between amino acids 2744 and 2761 at the C-terminus of 1A6/DRIM is capable of nucleolar accumulation. Two basic amino acid clusters within this region are essential for nucleolar accumulation. The sequences required for nucleolar accumulation overlaps the putative nuclear localization signal of 1A6/DRIM.