The transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is a 14-3-3-binding molecule. The highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed 14-3-3 proteins regulate differentiation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis by binding intracellular phosphoproteins involved in signal transduction. TAZ may link events at the plasma membrane and cytosketeton to nuclear transcription in a manner that can be regulated by 14-3-3. TAZ shares homology with the WW domain of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and functions as a transcriptional co-activator by binding to the PPXY motif present on transcription factors. TAZ recognizes immunoreactive protein bands in lysates from MDCK, NIH-3T3 and 293T cells. In addition, COS7, Hep G2, CHO and HeLa cells express endogenous TAZ. 14-3-3 binding requires TAZ phosphorylation on a single Serine 89 residue, resulting in the inhibition of TAZ transcriptional co-activation through 14-3-3-mediated nuclear export.
