An element in the 3′ untranslated region of human LINE-1 retrotransposon mRNA binds NXF1(TAP) and can function as a nuclear export element

Export of unspliced mRNA to the cytoplasm is required for the replication of all retroviruses. In simian type D retroviruses, the RNA export is mediated by the constitutive transport element (CTE) that binds the cellular nuclear export factor 1, NXF1(TAP). To search for potential cellular RNA substrates for NXF1, we have set up an in vitro selection procedure, using an RNA library expressed from total human genomic DNA. A sequence that was isolated most frequently as independent clones exhibits extensive homology to the 3' untranslated region of expressed LINE1 (L1) retrotransposons. This region, termed L1-NXF1 binding element (L1-NBE) bears no structural resemblance to the viral CTE, but binds NXF1 as strongly as CTE, based on gel mobility shift competition assays. A deletion analysis of the NXF1 protein reveals that CTE and L1-NBE have different, but overlapping, binding domains on NXF1. Placed in an intron, L1-NBE is capable of mediating nuclear export of lariat RNA species in Xenopus laevis oocytes and of an unspliced HIV-1 derived RNA in human 293 cells, suggesting that it may function as a nuclear export element for the intronless L1 mRNA.