T cell activation through the antigen receptor (TCR) involves the cytoplasmic tails of the CD3 subunits CD3␥, CD3␦, CD3⑀, and CD3. Whereas the biological significance of the cytoplasmic tails of these molecules is suggested, in part, by their evolutionarily conserved sequences, their interactions with signal transduction molecules are not completely understood. We used affinity chromatography columns of glutathione S-transferase fused to the CD3⑀ cytoplasmic tail to isolate proteins that specifically interact with this subunit. In this way, we identified the shuttling protein nucleolin as a specific CD3⑀-interacting molecule. Using competition studies and affinity chromatography on peptide columns, we were able to identify a central proline-rich sequence as the nucleolin-interacting sequence in CD3⑀. Transfection in COS cells of wild type CD3⑀, but not of nonbinding mutants of CD3⑀, resulted in redistribution of nucleolin from the nucleus and nucleoli to the cytoplasm. This property was transferred to a CD8 protein chimera by appending the cytoplasmic tail of CD3⑀. We also found that nucleolin associated with the TCR complex. This association was increased upon TCR engagement, suggesting that the CD3⑀/nucleolin interaction may have a role in T cell activation.T cells respond to antigen via a polypeptide complex composed of ligand-binding T cell receptor (TCR) 1 ␣ and  chains (or ␥ and ␦ in ␥␦ T cells) and the CD3 subunits CD3␥, CD3␦, CD3⑀, and CD3 (1, 2). Unlike the TCR chains, the CD3 components have long cytoplasmic tails that associate with cytoplasmic signal transduction molecules. This association is mediated at least in part by a double tyrosine-based motif present in a single copy in the CD3␥, CD3␦, and CD3⑀ chains and in three copies in CD3 (3). This motif, named immune-receptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM), becomes tyrosine phosphorylated during T cell activation by the Src family proteintyrosine kinases . Tyrosine phosphorylated ITAM become docking sites for the Syk family proteintyrosine kinase ZAP70 and other signal-transducing molecules. It is well established that antibody-mediated engagement of protein chimeras containing the cytoplasmic tail of either CD3 or CD3⑀ results in T cell activation (7-10). These data indicate that the cytoplasmic tail of one of these subunits can be sufficient to induce T cell activation. Regarding the role of CD3 subunits in T cell activation, most of the attention has been focused on the ITAM. However, the cytoplasmic tails of the CD3 subunits contain other evolutionarily conserved features that suggest ITAM-independent roles for them.The CD3⑀ cytoplasmic tail, highly conserved (11, 12), can be tentatively subdivided into three regions; the N-terminal region contains a basic amino acid cluster, the central region contains a proline-rich sequence, and the C-terminal region contains the ITAM (13). The proline-rich sequence contains the SH3-binding consensus motif XPPXP, and the C-terminal region contains the YXXLXXR endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention sequ...