Identification of ZASP, a novel protein associated to Zona occludens-2

With the aim of discovering new molecular interactions of the tight junction protein ZO-2, a two-hybrid screen was performed on a human kidney cDNA library using as bait the middle segment of ZO-2. Through this assay we identified a 24-kDa novel protein herein named ZASP for ZO-2 associated speckle protein. ZO-2/ZASP interaction further confirmed by pull down and immunoprecipitation experiments, requires the presence of the intact PDZ binding motif SQV of ZASP and the third PDZ domain of ZO-2. ZASP mRNA and protein are present in the kidney and in several epithelial cell lines. Endogenous ZASP is expressed primarily in nuclear speckles in co-localization with splicing factor SC-35. Nocodazole treatment and wash out reveals that ZASP disappears from the nucleus during mitosis in accordance with speckle disassembly during metaphase. ZASP amino acid sequence exhibits a canonical nuclear exportation signal and in agreement the protein exits the nucleus through a process mediated by exportin/CRM1. ZASP over-expression blocks the inhibitory activity of ZO-2 on cyclin D1 gene transcription and protein expression. The identification of ZASP helps to unfold the complex nuclear molecular arrays that form on ZO-2 scaffolds.