GAS-element-specific DNA recognition is dispensable for nuclear accumulation of STAT3
Upon activation STAT3 NTD deletion mutant remains in the cytoplasm in the form of phosphorylated dimers
In contrast to STAT1, STAT3 NTD is not required for binding to various importin-α isoforms
The importin-α5 mutant Y476G that does not bind STAT1 is still able to bind STAT3
For latent nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of STAT3 GAS-element binding and functional N-terminal or SH2 domains are dispensable