The FAM104 proteins VCF1/2 promote the nuclear localization of p97/VCP
Abstract
The ATPase p97 (also known as VCP, Cdc48) has crucial functions in a variety of important cellular processes such as protein quality control, organellar homeostasis and DNA damage repair, and its de-regulation is linked to neuro-muscular diseases and cancer. p97 is tightly controlled by numerous regulatory cofactors, but the full range and function of the p97-cofactor network is unknown. Here, we identify the hitherto uncharacterized FAM104 proteins as a conserved family of p97 interactors. The two human family members VCP nuclear cofactor family member 1 and 2 (VCF1/2) bind p97 directly via a novel, alpha-helical motif and associate with p97-UFD1-NPL4 and p97-UBXN2B complexes in cells. VCF1/2 localize to the nucleus and promote the nuclear import of p97. Loss of VCF1/2 results in reduced nuclear p97 levels, slow growth and hypersensitivity to chemical inhibition of p97 in the absence and presence of DNA damage, suggesting that FAM104 proteins are critical regulators of nuclear p97 functions.
Data availability
All data analysed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files; Source Data files will be made available before publication.
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Funding
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (GRK2243/1+2)
- Maria Körner
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (INST 93/1023-1-FUGG)
- Christina Schuelein-Voelk
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Copyright
© 2023, Körner et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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