Adenoviral E1A protein nuclear import is preferentially mediated by importin alpha 3 in vitro

Nuclear import of some viral proteins depends on importin alpha proteins. H owever, no preferences of distinct alpha -importins for any viral protein i mport have been demonstrated. We used in vitro import assays and observed t hat all ubiquitously expressed human importin a isoforms mediate nuclear tr anslocation of adenoviral Elk Competition with nucleoplasmin suggests that importin alpha3 is the most efficient import mediator of E1A. (C) 2001 Acad emic Press.