The ATP costs and time required to degrade ubiquitinated proteins by the 26 S proteasome

Structure of the Rpn11-Rpn8 dimer reveals mechanisms of substrate deubiquitination during proteasomal degradation

Polyubiquitin chains target protein substrates to the 26S proteasome, where they are removed by the deubiquitinase Rpn11 to allow efficient substrate degradation. Despite Rpn11's essential function during substrate processing, its detailed structural and biochemical characterization has been hindered by difficulties in purifying the isolated enzyme. Here we report the 2.0-Å crystal structures of Zn(2+)-free and Zn(2+)-bound Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rpn11 in an MPN-domain heterodimer with Rpn8. The Rpn11-Rpn8 interaction occurs via two distinct interfaces that may be conserved in related MPN-domain complexes. Our structural and mutational studies reveal that Rpn11 lacks a conserved surface to bind the ubiquitin Ile44 patch, does not interact with the moiety on the proximal side of the scissile isopeptide bond and exhibits no linkage specificity for ubiquitin cleavage. These findings explain how Rpn11 functions as a promiscuous deubiquitinase for cotranslocational substrate deubiquitination during proteasomal degradation.

Redox regulation of the proteasome via S-glutathionylation

The proteasome is a multimeric and multicatalytic intracellular protease responsible for the degradation of proteins involved in cell cycle control, various signaling processes, antigen presentation, and control of protein synthesis. The central catalytic complex of the proteasome is called the 20S core particle. The majority of these are flanked on one or both sides by regulatory units. Most common among these units is the 19S regulatory unit. When coupled to the 19S unit, the complex is termed the asymmetric or symmetric 26S proteasome depending on whether one or both sides are coupled to the 19S unit, respectively. The 26S proteasome recognizes poly-ubiquitinylated substrates targeted for proteolysis. Targeted proteins interact with the 19S unit where they are deubiquitinylated, unfolded, and translocated to the 20S catalytic chamber for degradation. The 26S proteasome is responsible for the degradation of major proteins involved in the regulation of the cellular cycle, antigen presentation and control of protein synthesis. Alternatively, the proteasome is also active when dissociated from regulatory units. This free pool of 20S proteasome is described in yeast to mammalian cells. The free 20S proteasome degrades proteins by a process independent of poly-ubiquitinylation and ATP consumption. Oxidatively modified proteins and other substrates are degraded in this manner. The 20S proteasome comprises two central heptamers (β-rings) where the catalytic sites are located and two external heptamers (α-rings) that are responsible for proteasomal gating. Because the 20S proteasome lacks regulatory units, it is unclear what mechanisms regulate the gating of α-rings between open and closed forms. In the present review, we discuss 20S proteasomal gating modulation through a redox mechanism, namely, S-glutathionylation of cysteine residues located in the α-rings, and the consequence of this post-translational modification on 20S proteasomal function.