Figure 1.

Scheme showing the mechanism of nuclear p38α/β translocation and its inhibition by the PERY peptide. A. p38α/β are localized in the cytoplasm of resting cells and some of the molecules are phosphorylated upon stimulation. B. Phosphorylated or non-phosphorylated p38α/β bind to a dimer of Imp7/3 or Imp9/3, which escort them to the nuclear pores. C. Imp3 stays outside, while Imp7 or Imp9 escort the p38α/β through the nuclear pores, to the nucleus, where they dissociate from the importins, and are free to phosphorylate their substrates. D. Translocation of the kinases to the nucleus can be inhibited using the inhibitory PERY peptide that was synthesized according to the sequence of the p38α–Imp binding site as described in the text.