Figure 7. MRTF-A contains multiple cooperating NES elements.
Cells expressing MRTF-A derivatives, with or without RafER, were treated as indicated and their subcellular localisation was scored by immunofluorescence. (A) Summary of MRTF-A NES predictions and NES-inactivating deletions and point mutations (see also Figure 7—figure supplement 1A). (B–E) MRTF-A NES elements functionally cooperate with each other (B,C) and with N-terminal phosphorylations (D,E) to maintain cytoplasmic localisation of full-length MRTF-A. Data in panels D and E are from the same experiment. Data are mean ± half-range n = 2 (B,D,E) or mean ± SEM, n =3 (C). (B) NES1 cooperates with the C-terminal NES elements. Nuclear accumulation is enhanced by inactivation of NES1 (p<0.001), NES2 (p<0.001) or NES5/6 (p<0.05); inactivation of NES1 enhances the effect of inactivating NES2 and NES5/6 (p<0.001); one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni multiple comparison test. (C) Inactivation of NES5/6 significantly enhances effect of NES1/2/4 inactivation (p<0.001); one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni multiple comparison test. (D) Effect of alanine substitution at S33 is similar to NES1 inactivation. S33A enhances the effect of inactivation of NES2 (p<0.05) or NES2+4 (p<0.001), and is not significantly different from NES1 inactivation; NES1 inactivation enhances inactivation of NES2+NES4 (p<0.001); one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni multiple comparison test. (E) The S98D phosphomimetic mutation cooperates with inactivation of NES2 (p<0.01) and NES2+4 (p<0.001). One-way ANOVA, Bonferroni's multiple comparison test.