Analysis of nuclear localization of laminin binding protein precursor p40 (LBP/p40).

We isolated a monoclonal antibody M108, which recognized 40 kDa protein (p40) in the cytoplasm, the perinuclear region in interphase and the perichromosomal region during mitosis. As reported previously, it was revealed from the immunofluorescent observation and the biochemical analyses that the nuclear p40 was associated both with the nuclear envelope and the chromatin DNA in interphase nuclei. In this report, we isolated the p40 from cytoplasmic particles, and identified it by extensive microsequencing as LBP/p40, which was considered to be a precursor of laminin binding protein p67 (LBP/p67). Epitope-tagged LBP/p40 was expressed in cultured cells, and the protein was localized in the nucleus as well as in the cytoplasm. Further analysis showed that the nuclear LBP/p40 was tightly associated with the nuclear structures.