Nuclear export signal-interacting protein forms complexes with lamin A/C-Nups to mediate the CRM1-independent nuclear export of large hepatitis delta antigen.

Nuclear export is an important process that not only regulates the functions of cellular factors but also facilitates the assembly of viral nucleoprotein complexes. Chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1) that mediates the transport of proteins bearing the classical leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES) is the best-characterized nuclear export receptor. Recently, several CRM1-independent nuclear export pathways were also identified. The nuclear export of the large form of hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg-L), a nucleocapsid protein of hepatitis delta virus (HDV), which contains a CRM1-independent proline-rich NES, is mediated by the host NES-interacting protein (NESI). The mechanism of the NESI protein in mediating nuclear export is still unknown. In this study, NESI was characterized as a highly glycosylated membrane protein. It interacted and colocalized well in the nuclear envelope with lamin A/C and nucleoporins. Importantly, HDAg-L could be coimmunoprecipitated with lamin A/C and nucleoporins. In addition, binding of the cargo HDAg-L to the C terminus of NESI was detected for the wild-type protein but not for the nuclear export-defective HDAg-L carrying a P205A mutation [HDAg-L(P205A)]. Knockdown of lamin A/C effectively reduced the nuclear export of HDAg-L and the assembly of HDV. These data indicate that by forming complexes with lamin A/C and nucleoporins, NESI facilitates the CRM1-independent nuclear export of HDAg-L.