Delineating domains and functions of NUP98 contributing to the leukemogenic activity of NUP98-HOX fusions

To determine the contribution of the common N-terminal truncation of NUP98 in NUP98-translocations resulting in acute myeloid leukemia, we have conducted a structure–function analysis of NUP98 in the context of NUP98-HOXA10HD, a novel, canonical NUP98-Hox fusion that significantly enhances the self-renewal capacity of hematopoietic stem cells and collaborates with Meis1 to induce AML in our mouse models. Our results identify that NUP98 functions by transcriptional activation likely by recruitment of CBP/p300 via its FG/GLFG repeats. In contrast, the functional interaction of NUP98 with Rae1 or the anaphase promoting complex appears non-essential for its role in NUP98-leukemogenic fusions.