Melanoma AntiGEn D2 (MAGED2): a new nucleolar protein undergoing re-localization after cellular stress

MAGED2 belongs to the Melanoma AntiGEn (MAGE) family of proteins. Actually, the only known function of this protein is its involvement in the p53 pathway. Indeed, MAGED2 could be a negative regulator of p53. It contributes to the initiation of melanoma when its overexpression is associated with the mutation of BRAF and it increases apoptosis induced by TRAIL in a p53 dependent manner. Moreover, phosphoproteomic experiments have shown that this protein is likely phosphorylated by kinases implicated in the DNA damage response (DDR). We decided to investigate the intra-cellular localization of MAGED2 in order to find new functions of this protein. In resting cell, MAGE D2 is detected is the nucleus, the nucleolus and the cytoplasm. We observed that MAGED2 localization change during cell cycle and genotoxic stress. Nuclear and nucleolar localization signals were identified. Though present in the nucleolus, the depletion of MAGED2 does not affect the structure of this organel.