Dephosphorylation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor is regulated by an RNA-protein scaffold complex.

ABSTRACT: Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) proteins are Ca(2+)-regulated transcription factors that control gene expression in many cell types. NFAT proteins are heavily phosphorylated and reside in the cytoplasm of resting cells; when cells are stimulated by a rise in intracellular Ca(2+), NFAT proteins are dephosphorylated by the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase calcineurin and translocate to the nucleus to activate target gene expression. Here we show that phosphorylated NFAT1 is present in a large cytoplasmic RNA-protein scaffold complex that contains a long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA), NRON [noncoding (RNA) repressor of NFAT]; a scaffold protein, IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein (IQGAP); and three NFAT kinases, casein kinase 1, glycogen synthase kinase 3, an

SUBMITTER: Sharma S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3136327 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature