Identification of the methylation preference region in heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 and its implication in regulating nuclear/cytoplasmic distribution

Abstract

Protein arginine methylation plays crucial roles in numerous cellular processes. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) is a multi-functional protein participating in a variety of cellular functions including transcription and RNA processing. HnRNP K is methylated at multiple sites in the glycine- and arginine-rich (RGG) motif. Using various RGG domain deletion mutants of hnRNP K as substrates, here we show by direct methylation assay that protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) methylated preferentially in a.a. 280–307 of the RGG motif. Kinetic analysis revealed that deletion of a.a. 280–307, but not a.a. 308–327, significantly inhibited rate of methylation. Importantly, nuclear localization of hnRNP K was significantly impaired in mutant hnRNP K lacking the PRMT1 methylation region or upon pharmacological inhibition of methylation. Together our results identify preferred PRMT1 methylation sequences of hnRNP K by direct methylation assay and implicate a role of arginine methylation in regulating intracellular distribution of hnRNP K.