Identification of essential sequences for cellular localization in the muscle-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase MAFbx/Atrogin 1

In skeletal muscle atrophy, upregulation and nuclear accumulation of the Ubiquitin E3 ligase MAFbx is essential for accelerated muscle protein loss, but the nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling of MAFbx is undefined. Here we found that MAFbx contains two functional nuclear localization signals (NLS). Mutation or deletion of only one NLS induced cytoplasmic localization of MAFbx. We identified a non-classical NES located in the leucine charged domain (LCD) of MAFbx, which is leptomycin B insensitive. We demonstrated that mutation (L169Q) in LLXXL motif of LCD suppressed cytoplasmic retention of MAFbx. Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of MAFbx represents a novel mechanism for targeting its substrates and its cytosolic partners in muscle atrophy.

► Sequences governing nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of MAFbx in muscle atrophy.
► A non-canonical nuclear export signal controls cytoplasmic localization of MAFbx.
► Increasing informations in MAFbx localization to understand muscle atrophy.
► Identification of MAFbx sequences to understanding the regulation of muscle atrophy.