Identification of a Golgi-localized peptide reveals a minimal Golgi-targeting motif

Prior work has identified signal sequences and motifs that are necessary and sufficient to target proteins to specific subcellular regions and organelles such as the plasma membrane, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria. In contrast, minimal sequence motifs that are sufficient for Golgi localization remain largely elusive. In this work, we identified a 37-amino acid alternative open reading frame (altORF) within the mRNA of the centromere protein CENP-R. This altORF peptide localizes specifically to the cytoplasmic surface of the Golgi apparatus. Through mutational analysis, we identify a minimal 10-amino acid sequence and a critical cysteine residue that are necessary and sufficient for Golgi localization. Pharmacological perturbations suggest that this peptide undergoes lipid modification to promote its localization. Together, our work defines a minimal sequence that is sufficient for Golgi targeting and provide a valuable Golgi marker for live cell imaging.