Translocation of the SARS‐CoV N protein to cytoplasmic granules can be induced by cell stress and modulated by phosphorylation. (A) Expression vector encoding FLAG‐tagged full‐length (N), RS motif‐deleted (NΔRS), two serine‐to‐alanine mutants (N‐6A and N‐14A), N‐terminal‐half (N NT ) or C‐terminal‐half (N CT ) N protein was transiently transfected into HeLa cells. Upper panel: representative fluorescence images. Lower panel: percentage of granule‐positive cells; approximately 100 transfected cells were counted for each protein. (B) HeLa cells transiently expressing HA‐tagged N or NΔRS or coexpressing HA‐N and GFP‐TIA‐1 were mock treated (−) or treated (+) with 0.5 m m arsenite for 1 h. Double immunofluorescence was performed using anti‐HA and anti‐PABP. A merged image is shown in the right‐hand panel.
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