CHICKEN THYROID-HORMONE RECEPTOR-ALPHA REQUIRES THE N-TERMINAL AMINO-ACIDS FOR EXCLUSIVE NUCLEAR-LOCALIZATION

The subcellular localization of natural and engineered forms of the ch icken thyroid hormone receptor (cTR alpha) is dependent on amino acids encoded in the N-terminal region, The full length receptor protein, c TR alpha-p46, mas found to localize exclusively to the nucleus, wherea s the N-terminally shorter variant, cTR alpha-p40, localizes to both t he nucleus and the cytoplasm, The exclusive nuclear localization of cT R alpha-p46 is dependent on the presence of the first 11 N-terminal am ino acids, but independent of the phosphorylation of the serine at pos ition re. Our data identify a novel role for an N-terminal domain of t he full length thyroid hormone receptor. (C) 1997 Federation of Europe an Biochemical Societies.