Serum stimulation leads to activation of the serum response factor (SRF)-mediated transcription of immediate-early genes such as c-fos via various signal transduction pathways. We have previously reported that promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) is involved in the transcriptional regulation by SRF. PML is one of the well-known substrates for modification by small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1) and several SUMO-1-modified proteins associate with PML. Here, we report that SRF is modified by SUMO-1 chiefly at lysine(147) within the DNA-binding domain. Substitution of this target lysine for alanine did not affect the translocation of SRF to PML-nuclear bodies. The SRF mutant augmented the transcriptional activity under Rho A-stimulated condition but not under serum-starved condition, suggesting that activated SRF is suppressed by its sumoylation. These data support the transcriptional role of SUMO-1 conjugating system in cellular serum response. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.