The osmotic response element-binding protein (OREBP), also known as tonicity enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP) or NFAT5, is the only known osmo-sensitive transcription factor that mediates cellular adaptations to extracellular hypertonic stress. Although it is well documented that the subcellular localization and transactivation activity of OREBP/TonEBP are tightly regulated by extracellular tonicity, the molecular mechanisms involved remain elusive. Here we show that nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of OREBP/TonEBP is regulated by the dual phosphorylation of Ser-155 and Ser-158. Alanine scanning mutagenesis revealed that Ser-155 is an essential residue that regulates OREBP/TonEBP nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. Tandem mass spectrometry revealed that Ser-155 and Ser-158 of OREBP/TonEBP are both phosphorylated in living cells under hypotonic conditions. In vitro phosphorylation assays further suggest that phosphorylation of the two serine residues proceeds in a hierarchical manner with phosphorylation of Ser-155 priming the phosphorylation of Ser-158 and that these phosphorylations are essential for nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of the transcription factor. Finally, we have shown that the pharmacological inhibition of casein kinase 1 (CK1) abolishes the phosphorylation of Ser-158 and impedes OREBP/TonEBP nuclear export and that recombinant CK1 phosphorylates Ser-158. Knockdown of CK1␣1L, a novel isoform of CK1, inhibits hypotonicity-induced OREBP/TonEBP nuclear export. Together these data highlight the importance of Ser-155 and Ser-158 in the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of OREBP/TonEBP and indicate that CK1 plays a major role in regulating this process.The osmotic response element-binding protein (OREBP), 3 also known as TonEBP, belongs to the Rel family of transcription factors that includes NFB and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Members of this family contain a Rel homology domain for DNA binding (1, 2). Because the Rel homology domain of OREBP/TonEBP shares significant homology to that of other NFAT isoforms (NFAT1-4), it was independently identified by homology screening and named NFAT5 (3). However, unlike NFAT1-4, OREBP/TonEBP lacks the calcineurin binding domain that plays a critical role in regulating the subcellular localization and activity of the NFATs (4). Although NFAT-1, -2, and -4 regulate the immune response as well as the development of heart, bone, thymus, and the nervous system (5, 6), OREBP/TonEBP plays a pivotal role in activating adaptive cellular responses to extracellular hypertonic stress (2, 7).OREBP/TonEBP is the only known osmo-sensitive transcription factor in mammalian cells. Upon activation by hypertonic stress, it induces the expression of a battery of osmoprotective genes, including aldose reductase, the betaine/ ␥-aminobutyric acid transporter, and the Na ϩ -dependent myoinositol transporter, through binding to a cognate cis-acting element known as the osmotic response element or the tonicity-responsive enhancer (8 -11) in the promoter region of these genes. Consequent...