14-3-3 proteins: regulation of subcellular localization by molecular interference

The 14-3-3 family of proteins plays a key regulatory role in signal transdu ction, checkpoint control, apoptotic, and nutrient-sensing pathways. 14-3-3 proteins act by binding to partner proteins, and this binding often leads to the altered subcellular localization of the partner. 14-3-3 proteins pro mote the cytoplasmic localization of many binding partners, including the p ro-apoptotic protein BAD and the cell cycle regulatory phosphatase Cdc25C, but they can also promote the nuclear localization of other partners, such as the catalytic subunit of telomerase (TERT). Ln some cases, 14-3-3 bindin g has no effect on the subcellular localization of a partner. 14-3-3 may af fect the localization of a protein by interfering with the function of a ne arby targeting sequence, such as a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) or a nuclear export sequence (NES), on the binding partner. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience Inc. All rights reserved.