Oligomerization of p53 precedes its association with dynein and nuclear accumulation.

Previous studies have identified several proteins that associate with microtubules and the dynein motor complex including p53, the glucocorticoid and the vitamin D receptors, and the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) protein; but neither the residues important for this interaction nor the physical state of the proteins involved have been clarified. We observed in SN12C cells harboring a mutant p53 truncated at amino acid 336, impaired nuclear localization and impaired association with dynein. This finding was confirmed and extended by examining a series of truncated p53 proteins that identified residues 336 to 348 as crucial for association with dynein and nuclear transport. Point mutations identified the importance of residues involved in p53 oligomerization in this process, establishing a p53 oligomer as the cargo for dynein transport. The association of cytosolic p53 oligomers with dynein occurs independent of microtubules indicating that following this association, the p53/dynein complex then associates with microtubules and is transported to the peri-nuclear region. These studies suggest that mutations or modifications that affect p53 oligomerization not only interfere with DNA binding but also with its intracellular distribution. They also highlight the importance of an intact microtubule network in the trafficking of crucial cellular proteins.