The nucleolus is a non-membranous structure in the nucleus and forms around ribosomal DNA repeats. It plays a major role in ribosomal biogenesis through the transcription of ribosomal DNA and regulates mRNA translation in response to cellular stress including DNA damage. Rad17 is one of the proteins that initiate and maintain the activation of the ATR pathway, one of the major DNA damage checkpoints. We have recently reported that the central basic domain of Rad17 contains a nuclear localization signal and that the nuclear translocation of Rad17 promotes its proteasomal degradation. Here, we show that the central basic domain contains the nucleolar localization signal as well as the nuclear localization signal. The nucleolar localization signal overlaps with the nuclear localization signal and is capable of transporting an exogenous protein into the nucleolus. Phosphomimetic mutations of the central basic domain inhibit nucleolar accumulation, suggesting that the post-translational modification sites regulate the nucleolar localization. Nucleolar accumulation of Rad17 is promoted by proteasome inhibition and UV irradiation. Our data show the nucleolar localization of Rad17 and suggest a possible role of Rad17 in the nucleolus upon UV irradiation.
Keywords: DNA damage response; Rad17; nucleolar localization; nucleolus; subnuclear localization.