Identification of the nuclear export signal in the helix-loop-helix inhibitor Id1.

Id proteins play important roles in cellular differentiation and proliferation by negatively regulating basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. Although their intracellular localization may change depending on the biological situation, little is known about the molecular determinants underlying such changes. Here we report the identification of a nuclear export signal (NES) in Id1. The identified NES was different from that of Id2, but had the ability to confine heterologous green fluorescent protein to the cytoplasm. Thus, our results indicate that the intracellular localization of Id1 is regulated differently from that of Id2.