Function and regulation of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases

Molecular determinants of polyubiquitin linkage selection by an HECT ubiquitin ligase

Ubiquitin (Ub)-protein ligases (E3s) frequently modify their substrates with multiple Ub molecules in the form of a polyubiquitin (poly-Ub) chain. Although structurally distinct poly-Ub chains (linked through different Ub lysine (Lys) residues) can confer different fates on target proteins, little is known about how E3s select the Lys residue to be used in chain synthesis. Here, we used a combination of mutagenesis, biochemistry, and mass spectrometry to map determinants of linkage choice in chain assembly catalyzed by KIAA10, an HECT (Homologous to E6AP C-Terminus) domain E3 that synthesizes K29- and K48-linked chains. Focusing on the Ub molecule that contributes the Lys residue for chain formation, we found that specific surface residues adjacent to K48 and K29 are critical for the usage of the respective Lys residues in chain synthesis. This direct mechanism of linkage choice bears similarities to the mechanism of substrate site selection in sumoylation catalyzed by Ubc9, but is distinct from the mechanism of chain linkage selection used by the Mms2/Ubc13 (Ub E2 variant (UEV)/E2) complex.

CAND1-mediated substrate adaptor recycling is required for efficient repression of Nrf2 by Keap1

The bZIP transcription factor Nrf2 controls a genetic program that protects cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular redox homeostasis. Keap1, a BTB-Kelch protein, is the major upstream regulator of Nrf2. Keap1 functions as a substrate adaptor protein for a Cul3-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to repress steady-state levels of Nrf2 and Nrf2-dependent transcription. Cullin-dependent ubiquitin ligase complexes have been proposed to undergo dynamic cycles of assembly and disassembly that enable substrate adaptor exchange or recycling. In this report, we have characterized the importance of substrate adaptor recycling for regulation of Keap1-mediated repression of Nrf2. Association of Keap1 with Cul3 was decreased by ectopic expression of CAND1 and was increased by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of CAND1. However, both ectopic overexpression and siRNA-mediated knockdown of CAND1 decreased the ability of Keap1 to target Nrf2 for ubiquitin-dependent degradation, resulting in stabilization of Nrf2 and activation of Nrf2-dependent gene expression. Neddylation of Cul3 on Lys 712 is required for Keap1-dependent ubiquitination of Nrf2 in vivo. However, the K712R mutant Cul3 molecule, which is not neddylated, can still assemble with Keap1 into a functional ubiquitin ligase complex in vitro. These results provide support for a model in which substrate adaptor recycling is required for efficient substrate ubiquitination by cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes.

A Tandem Affinity Tag for Two-step Purification under Fully Denaturing Conditions

Tandem affinity strategies reach exceptional protein purification grades and have considerably improved the outcome of mass spectrometry-based proteomic experiments. However, current tandem affinity tags are incompatible with two-step purification under fully denaturing conditions. Such stringent purification conditions are desirable for mass spectrometric analyses of protein modifications as they result in maximal preservation of posttranslational modifications. Here we describe the histidine-biotin (HB) tag, a new tandem affinity tag for two-step purification under denaturing conditions. The HB tag consists of a hexahistidine tag and a bacterially derived in vivo biotinylation signal peptide that induces efficient biotin attachment to the HB tag in yeast and mammalian cells. HB-tagged proteins can be sequentially purified under fully denaturing conditions, such as 8 m urea, by Ni(2+) chelate chromatography and binding to streptavidin resins. The stringent separation conditions compatible with the HB tag prevent loss of protein modifications, and the high purification grade achieved by the tandem affinity strategy facilitates mass spectrometric analysis of posttranslational modifications. Ubiquitination is a particularly sensitive protein modification that is rapidly lost during purification under native conditions due to ubiquitin hydrolase activity. The HB tag is ideal to study ubiquitination because the denaturing conditions inhibit hydrolase activity, and the tandem affinity strategy greatly reduces nonspecific background. We tested the HB tag in proteome-wide ubiquitin profiling experiments in yeast and identified a number of known ubiquitinated proteins as well as so far unidentified candidate ubiquitination targets. In addition, the stringent purification conditions compatible with the HB tag allow effective mass spectrometric identification of in vivo cross-linked protein complexes, thereby expanding proteomic analyses to the description of weakly or transiently associated protein complexes.

Keap1 recruits Neh2 through binding to ETGE and DLG motifs: characterization of the two-site molecular recognition model

The expression of the phase 2 detoxification enzymes and antioxidant proteins is induced at the transcriptional level by Nrf2 and negatively regulated at the posttranslational level by Keap1 through protein-protein interactions with and subsequent proteolysis of Nrf2. We found that the Neh2 domain of Nrf2 is an intrinsically disordered but biologically active regulatory domain containing a 33-residue central alpha-helix followed by a mini antiparallel beta-sheet. Isothermal calorimetry analysis indicated that one Neh2 molecule interacts with two molecules of Keap1 via two binding sites, the stronger binding ETGE motif and the weaker binding DLG motif. Nuclear magnetic resonance titration study showed that these two motifs of the Neh2 domain bind to an overlapping site on the bottom surface of the beta-propeller structure of Keap1. In contrast, the central alpha-helix of the Neh2 domain does not have any observable affinity to Keap1, suggesting that this region may serve as a bridge connecting the two motifs for the association with the two beta-propeller structures of a dimer of Keap1. Based on these observations, we propose that Keap1 recruits Nrf2 by the ETGE motif and that the DLG motif of the Neh2 domain locks its lysine-rich central alpha-helix in a correct position to benefit ubiquitin signaling.

Oxidative and electrophilic stresses activate Nrf2 through inhibition of ubiquitination activity of Keap1

The Keap1-Nrf2 system is the major regulatory pathway of cytoprotective gene expression against oxidative and/or electrophilic stresses. Keap1 acts as a stress sensor protein in this system. While Keap1 constitutively suppresses Nrf2 activity under unstressed conditions, oxidants or electrophiles provoke the repression of Keap1 activity, inducing the Nrf2 activation. However, the precise molecular mechanisms behind the liberation of Nrf2 from Keap1 repression in the presence of stress remain to be elucidated. We hypothesized that oxidative and electrophilic stresses induce the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 by affecting the Keap1-mediated rapid turnover of Nrf2, since such accumulation was diminished by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. While both the Cys273 and Cys288 residues of Keap1 are required for suppressing Nrf2 nuclear accumulation, treatment of cells with electrophiles or mutation of these cysteine residues to alanine did not affect the association of Keap1 with Nrf2 either in vivo or in vitro. Rather, these treatments impaired the Keap1-mediated proteasomal degradation of Nrf2. These results support the contention that Nrf2 protein synthesized de novo after exposure to stress accumulates in the nucleus by bypassing the Keap1 gate and that the sensory mechanism of oxidative and electrophilic stresses is closely linked to the degradation mechanism of Nrf2.

The KLHL12-Cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase negatively regulates the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway by targeting Dishevelled for degradation

Dishevelled is a conserved protein that interprets signals received by Frizzled receptors. Using a tandem-affinity purification strategy and mass spectrometry we have identified proteins associated with Dishevelled, including a Cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase complex containing the Broad Complex, Tramtrack and Bric à Brac (BTB) protein Kelch-like 12 (KLHL12). This E3 ubiquitin ligase complex is recruited to Dishevelled in a Wnt-dependent manner that promotes its poly-ubiquitination and degradation. Functional analyses demonstrate that regulation of Dishevelled by this ubiquitin ligase antagonizes the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway in cultured cells, as well as in Xenopus and zebrafish embryos. Considered with evidence that the distinct Cullin-1 based SCF(beta-TrCP)complex regulates beta-catenin stability, our data on the stability of Dishevelled demonstrates that two distinct ubiquitin ligase complexes regulate the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway.

Assembly of HIV-1 Vif-Cul5 E3 ubiquitin ligase through a novel zinc-binding domain-stabilized hydrophobic interface in Vif

APOBEC3G (A3G) and related cytidine deaminases are potent inhibitors of retroviruses. HIV-1 Vif hijacks the cellular Cul5-E3 ubiquitin ligase to degrade APOBEC3 proteins and render them ineffective against these viruses. Here, we report that HIV-1 Vif is a novel zinc-binding protein containing an H-x(5)-C-x(17-18)-C-x(3-5)-H motif that is distinct from other recognized classes of zinc fingers. Zinc-binding stabilized a conserved hydrophobic interface within the HCCH motif that is critical for Vif-Cul5 E3 assembly and Vif function. An N-terminal region in the first Cullin repeat of Cul5, which is dispensable for adaptor ElonginC binding, was required for interaction with Vif. This region is the most divergent sequence between Cul2 and Cul5, a factor that may contribute to the selection of Cul5 and not Cul2 by Vif. This is the first example of a zinc-binding substrate receptor responsible for the assembly of a Cullin-RING ligase, representing a new target for antiviral development.

Structure of DDB1 in complex with a paramyxovirus V protein: viral hijack of a propeller cluster in ubiquitin ligase

The DDB1-Cul4A ubiquitin ligase complex promotes protein ubiquitination in diverse cellular functions and is reprogrammed by the V proteins of paramyxoviruses to degrade STATs and block interferon signaling. Here we report the crystal structures of DDB1 alone and in complex with the simian virus 5 V protein. The DDB1 structure reveals an intertwined three-propeller cluster, which contains two tightly coupled beta propellers with a large pocket in between and a third beta propeller flexibly attached on the side. The rigid double-propeller fold of DDB1 is targeted by the viral V protein, which inserts an entire helix into the double-propeller pocket, whereas the third propeller domain docks DDB1 to the N terminus of the Cul4A scaffold. Together, these results not only provide structural insights into how the virus hijacks the DDB1-Cul4A ubiquitin ligase but also establish a structural framework for understanding the multiple functions of DDB1 in the uniquely assembled cullin-RING E3 machinery.

A synthetic defect in protein degradation caused by loss of Ufd4 and Rad23

The UFD (ubiquitin fusion degradation) pathway is responsible for multiubiquitination of the fusion proteins that bear a "non-removable" N-terminal ubiquitin moiety. Previous reports have shown that the UFD pathway is conserved from yeast to human. The essential elements of the UFD pathway have also been identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These studies, however, are limited to use of engineered UFD substrates. The biological significance of the UFD pathway remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that Ufd4, the E3 component of the UFD pathway, is involved in controlling the degradation of Rad4, a nucleotide excision repair protein. Moreover, simultaneous loss of Ufd4 and Rad23 exhibits a synthetic inhibitory effect on Rad4 degradation, presenting the first example that a UBA/UBL-domain protein functionally overlaps with a ubiquitin ligase in determining the turnover rate of a protein substrate. The current work also provides a direction for further investigation of the physiological functions of the UFD pathway.

Localization of the coactivator Cdh1 and the cullin subunit Apc2 in a cryo-electron microscopy model of vertebrate APC/C

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a ubiquitin ligase with essential functions in mitosis, meiosis, and G1 phase of the cell cycle. APC/C recognizes substrates via coactivator proteins such as Cdh1, and bound substrates are ubiquitinated by E2 enzymes that interact with a hetero-dimer of the RING subunit Apc11 and the cullin Apc2. We have obtained three-dimensional (3D) models of human and Xenopus APC/C by angular reconstitution and random conical tilt (RCT) analyses of negatively stained cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) preparations, have determined the masses of these particles by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and have mapped the locations of Cdh1 and Apc2. These proteins are located on the same side of the asymmetric APC/C, implying that this is where substrates are ubiquitinated. We have further identified a large flexible domain in APC/C that adopts a different orientation upon Cdh1 binding. Cdh1 may thus activate APC/C both by recruiting substrates and by inducing conformational changes.

Aminoacyl-transferases and the N-end rule pathway of prokaryotic/eukaryotic specificity in a human pathogen

The N-end rule relates the in vivo half-life of a protein to the identity of its N-terminal residue. Primary destabilizing N-terminal residues (Nd(p)) are recognized directly by the targeting machinery. The recognition of secondary destabilizing N-terminal residues (Nd(s)) is preceded by conjugation of an Nd(p) residue to Nd(s) of a polypeptide substrate. In eukaryotes, ATE1-encoded arginyl-transferases (R(D,E,C*)-transferases) conjugate Arg (R), an Nd(p) residue, to Nd(s) residues Asp (D), Glu (E), or oxidized Cys residue (C*). Ubiquitin ligases recognize the N-terminal Arg of a substrate and target the (ubiquitylated) substrate to the proteasome. In prokaryotes such as Escherichia coli, Nd(p) residues Leu (L) or Phe (F) are conjugated, by the aat-encoded Leu/Phe-transferase (L/F(K,R)-transferase), to N-terminal Arg or Lys, which are Nd(s) in prokaryotes but Nd(p) in eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, substrates bearing the Nd(p) residues Leu, Phe, Trp, or Tyr are degraded by the proteasome-like ClpAP protease. Despite enzymological similarities between eukaryotic R(D,E,C*)-transferases and prokaryotic L/F(K,R)-transferases, there is no significant sequelogy (sequence similarity) between them. We identified an aminoacyl-transferase, termed Bpt, in the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus. Although it is a sequelog of eukaryotic R(D,E,C*)-transferases, this prokaryotic transferase exhibits a "hybrid" specificity, conjugating Nd(p) Leu to Nd(s) Asp or Glu. Another aminoacyl-transferase, termed ATEL1, of the eukaryotic pathogen Plasmodium falciparum, is a sequelog of prokaryotic L/F(K,R)-transferases (Aat), but has the specificity of eukaryotic R(D,E,C*)-transferases (ATE1). Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the substrate specificity of R-transferases arose by two distinct routes during the evolution of eukaryotes.

Identification of the preferential ubiquitination site and ubiquitin-dependent degradation signal of Rpn4

Lysine selection is a long-standing problem in protein ubiquitination catalyzed by the RING ubiquitin ligases. It is well known that many substrates carry multiple lysines that can be ubiquitinated. However, it has seldom been addressed whether one lysine is preferred for ubiquitin conjugation when all other lysines exist. Here we studied the mechanism underlying ubiquitin-dependent degradation of Rpn4, a transcription activator of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteasome genes. We found that the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of Rpn4 can be mediated by six different lysines. Interestingly, we showed through in vivo and in vitro assays that lysine 187 is selected for ubiquitination when all other lysines are available. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a preferential ubiquitination site chosen from a group of lysines susceptible for ubiquitination. We further demonstrated that lysine 187 and a proximal acidic domain constitute a portable degradation signal. The implications of our data are discussed.

Auxin receptors: a new role for F-box proteins

The plant hormone auxin regulates transcription by promoting the degradation of a family of transcriptional repressors called Aux/IAA proteins. Genetic and biochemical studies have shown that this degradation is dependent on a ubiquitin protein ligase called SCF(TIR1). In the presence of auxin, the F-box protein TIR1 binds to the Aux/IAA proteins, resulting in their ubiquitination and degradation. Recent attention has focused on the nature of the auxin receptor and upstream signaling events involved in this process. Now, two recent papers demonstrate that auxin binds directly to TIR1 and promotes the interaction with the Aux/IAA proteins. Furthermore, TIR1 functions together with at least three other related F-box protein/receptors to mediate the auxin response throughout plant growth and development.

From loops to chains: unraveling the mysteries of polyubiquitin chain specificity and processivity

Regulated protein degradation via polyubiquitination controls almost every aspect of eukaryotic cellular biology; however, the precise mechanism by which specifically linked polyubiquitin chains are formed on target proteins as well as how the processivity of chain elongation is achieved remains a mystery. Recent work using the yeast ubiquitin ligase SCF(Cdc4) and the ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, Cdc34, has helped to answer these questions by identifying the determinants of lysine-48 specific ubiquitin chain polymerization.

Mechanism of lysine 48-linked ubiquitin-chain synthesis by the cullin-RING ubiquitin-ligase complex SCF-Cdc34

Ubiquitin chains linked via lysine 48 (K48) of ubiquitin mediate recognition of ubiquitinated proteins by the proteasome. However, the mechanisms underlying polymerization of this targeting signal on a substrate are unknown. Here we dissect this process using the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor Sic1 and its ubiquitination by the cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase SCF(Cdc4) and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Cdc34. We show that Sic1 ubiquitination can be separated into two steps: attachment of the first ubiquitin, which is rate limiting, followed by rapid elongation of a K48-linked ubiquitin chain. Mutation of an acidic loop conserved among Cdc34 orthologs has no effect on attachment of the first ubiquitin onto Sic1 but compromises the processivity and linkage specificity of ubiquitin-chain synthesis. We propose that the acidic loop favorably positions K48 of a substrate-linked ubiquitin to attack SCF bound Cdc34 approximately ubiquitin thioester and thereby enables processive synthesis of K48-linked ubiquitin chains by SCF-Cdc34.

The DDB1-CUL4ADDB2 ubiquitin ligase is deficient in xeroderma pigmentosum group E and targets histone H2A at UV-damaged DNA sites

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a heritable human disorder characterized by defects in nucleotide excision repair (NER) and the development of skin cancer. Cells from XP group E (XP-E) patients have a defect in the UV-damaged DNA-binding protein complex (UV-DDB), involved in the damage recognition step of NER. UV-DDB comprises two subunits, products of the DDB1 and DDB2 genes, respectively. Mutations in the DDB2 gene account for the underlying defect in XP-E. The UV-DDB complex is a component of the newly identified cullin 4A-based ubiquitin E3 ligase, DDB1-CUL4A(DDB2). The E3 ubiquitin ligases recognize specific substrates and mediate their ubiquitination to regulate protein activity or target proteins for degradation by the proteasomal pathway. In this study, we have addressed the role of the UV-DDB-based E3 in NER and sought a physiological substrate. We demonstrate that monoubiquitinated histone H2A in native chromatin coimmunoprecipitates with the endogenous DDB1-CUL4A(DDB2) complex in response to UV irradiation. Further, mutations in DDB2 alter the formation and binding activity of the DDB1-CUL4A(DDB2) ligase, accompanied by impaired monoubiquitination of H2A after UV treatment of XP-E cells, compared with repair-proficient cells. This finding indicates that DDB2, as the substrate receptor of the DDB1-CUL4A-based ligase, specifically targets histone H2A for monoubiquitination in a photolesion-binding-dependent manner. Given that the loss of monoubiquitinated histone H2A at the sites of UV-damaged DNA is associated with decreased global genome repair in XP-E cells, this study suggests that histone modification, mediated by the XPE factor, facilitates the initiation of NER.

Cul4A targets p27 for degradation and regulates proliferation, cell cycle exit, and differentiation during erythropoiesis

As erythroid progenitors differentiate into precursors and finally mature red blood cells, lineage-specific genes are induced, and proliferation declines until cell cycle exit. Cul4A encodes a core subunit of a ubiquitin ligase that targets proteins for ubiquitin-mediated degradation, and Cul4A-haploinsufficient mice display hematopoietic dysregulation with fewer multipotential and erythroid-committed progenitors. In this study, stress induced by 5-fluorouracil or phenylhydrazine revealed a delay in the recovery of erythroid progenitors, early precursors, and normal hematocrits in Cul4A(+/-) mice. Conversely, overexpression of Cul4A in a growth factor-dependent, proerythroblast cell line increased proliferation and the proportion of cells in S phase. When these proerythroblasts were induced to terminally differentiate, endogenous Cul4A protein expression declined 3.6-fold. Its enforced expression interfered with erythrocyte maturation and cell cycle exit and, instead, promoted proliferation. Furthermore, p27 normally accumulates during erythroid terminal differentiation, but Cul4A-enforced expression destabilized p27 and attenuated its accumulation. Cul4A and p27 proteins coimmunoprecipitate, indicating that a Cul4A ubiquitin ligase targets p27 for degradation. These findings indicate that a Cul4A ubiquitin ligase positively regulates proliferation by targeting p27 for degradation and that Cul4A down-regulation during terminal erythroid differentiation allows p27 to accumulate and signal cell cycle exit.

F-box-like domain in the polerovirus protein P0 is required for silencing suppressor function

Plants employ small RNA-mediated posttranscriptional gene silencing as a virus defense mechanism. In response, plant viruses encode proteins that can suppress RNA silencing, but the mode of action of most such proteins is poorly understood. Here, we show that the silencing suppressor protein P0 of two Arabidopsis-infecting poleroviruses interacts by means of a conserved minimal F-box motif with Arabidopsis thaliana orthologs of S-phase kinase-related protein 1 (SKP1), a component of the SCF family of ubiquitin E3 ligases. Point mutations in the F-box-like motif abolished the P0-SKP1 ortholog interaction, diminished virus pathogenicity, and inhibited the silencing suppressor activity of P0. Knockdown of expression of a SKP1 ortholog in Nicotiana benthamiana rendered the plants resistant to polerovirus infection. Together, the results support a model in which P0 acts as an F-box protein that targets an essential component of the host posttranscriptional gene silencing machinery.

ARI-1, an RBR family ubiquitin-ligase, functions with UBC-18 to regulate pharyngeal development in C. elegans

The LIN-35 retinoblastoma protein homolog and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC-18 function redundantly to control an early step of pharyngeal morphogenesis in C. elegans. In order to identify ubiquitin-ligases acting downstream of UBC-18, we carried out a two-hybrid screen using UBC-18 as the bait molecule. Our screen identified three putative ubiquitin-ligases, one of which, ARI-1, showed genetic interactions leading to defective pharyngeal development that were identical to that previously observed for UBC-18. ARI-1 is a member of the RBR family of ubiquitin-ligases and contains a C-terminal motif that places it within the highly conserved Ariadne subfamily of RBR ligases. Our analyses indicate that ARI-1 is the principal Ariadne family member in C. elegans that is involved in the control of pharyngeal development with UBC-18. Using GFP reporters, we find that ARI-1 is expressed dynamically in a wide range of tissues including muscles and neurons during embryonic and postembryonic development. We also provide evidence that dsRNA species containing 14 or fewer base pairs of contiguous identity with closely related mRNAs are sufficient to mediate off-target silencing in C. elegans.

The role of the ubiquitination machinery in dislocation and degradation of endoplasmic reticulum proteins

Ubiquitination is essential for the dislocation and degradation of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). How exactly this is regulated is unknown at present. This review provides an overview of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) and ubiquitin ligases (E3s) with a role in the degradation of ER proteins. Their structure and functions are described, as well as their mutual interactions. Substrate specificity and functional redundancy of E3 ligases are discussed, and other components of the ER degradation machinery that may associate with the ubiquitination system are reviewed.

F-box proteins: the key to protein degradation

The eukaryotic protein degradation pathway involves the ubiquitin (Ub) modification of substrates targeted for degradation by the 26S proteasome. The addition of Ub, a process called ubiquitination, is mediated by enzymes including the E3 Ub ligases which transfer the Ub to targeted substrates. A major type of E3 Ub ligases, the SCF (Skp-Cullin-F-box) complex, is composed of four major components: Skp1, Cul1/Cdc53, Roc1/Rbx1/Hrt1, and an F-box protein. The F-box component of the SCF machineries is responsible for recognizing different substrates for ubiquitination. Interaction with components of the SCF complex is mediated through the F-box motif of the F-box protein while it associates with phosphorylated substrates through its second protein-protein interaction motif such as Trp-Asp (WD) repeats or leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). By targeting diverse substrates, F-box proteins exert controls over stability of proteins and regulate the mechanisms for a wide-range of cellular processes. Here we discuss the importance of F-box proteins by providing a general overview and examples of how F-box proteins function in various cellular settings such as tissue development, cell proliferation, and cell death, in the modeling organism Drosophila.

The ARABIDOPSIS SKP1-LIKE1 (ASK1) protein acts predominately from leptotene to pachytene and represses homologous recombination in male meiosis

Normal progression of genetic recombination requires timely degradation of many proteins, but little is known about the proteolytic mechanism. The ARABIDOPSIS SKP1-LIKE1 (ASK1) protein is a component of the Skp1-Cullin-F-box-protein (SCF) ubiquitin ligases that target a variety of proteins for degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway. Previous studies indicate that the early defects of the mutant ask1-1 occur in a prophase-I period overlapping with the period of homologous recombination. We provide evidence in this report that ASK1 is predominately expressed from leptotene to pachytene, and negatively regulates recombination. First, the ASK1 transcript was found not to co-exist with that of its closest homolog ASK2 only during prophase I of male meiosis, suggesting that ASK1 is functionally non-redundant only in prophase I. Second, the peak level of an ASK1-green fluorescence protein (GFP) fusion protein expressed by an ASK1 promoter region occurred only from leptotene to pachytene. The ASK1-GFP in a dominant negative fashion resulted in abnormal tetrads resembling those of the ask1-1 mutant, supporting that the expression timing of the ASK1-GFP in male meiocytes reflects the expression timing of the endogenous ASK1. Lastly, using a marker for recombination events, a significant increase in recombination frequency was detected in plants heterozygous for ask1-1. These results indicate that ASK1 normally plays a repressive role in male recombination in Arabidopsis.

The emerging role of the COP9 signalosome in cancer

In the last several years, multiple lines of evidence have suggested that the COP9 signalosome (CSN) plays a significant role in the regulation of multiple cancers and could be an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. First, the CSN plays a key role in the regulation of Cullin-containing ubiquitin E3 ligases that are central mediators of a variety of cellular functions essential during cancer progression. Second, several studies suggest that the individual subunits of the CSN, particularly CSN5, might regulate oncogenic and tumor suppressive functions independently of, or coordinately with, the CSN holocomplex. Thus, deregulation of CSN subunit function can have a dramatic effect on diverse cellular functions, including the maintenance of DNA fidelity, cell cycle control, DNA repair, angiogenesis, and microenvironmental homeostasis that are critical for tumor development. Additionally, clinical studies have suggested that the expression or localization of some CSN subunits correlate to disease progression or clinical outcome in a variety of tumor types. Although the study of CSN function in relation to tumor progression is in its infancy, this review will address current studies in relation to cancer initiation, progression, and potential for therapeutic intervention.

Targeted silencing of Jab1/Csn5 in human cells downregulates SCF activity through reduction of F-box protein levels

Background

SCF ubiquitin ligases target numerous proteins for ubiquitin dependent proteolysis, including p27 and cyclin E. SCF and other cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) are regulated by the ubiquitin-like protein Nedd8 that covalently modifies the cullin subunit. The removal of Nedd8 is catalyzed by the Jab1/MPN domain metalloenzyme (JAMM) motif within the Csn5 subunit of the Cop9 Signalosome.

Results

Here, we conditionally knock down Csn5 expression in HEK293 human cells using a doxycycline-inducible shRNA system. Cullin levels were not altered in CSN-deficient human cells, but the levels of multiple F-box proteins were decreased. Molecular analysis indicates that this decrease was due to increased Cul1- and proteasome-dependent turnover. Diminished F-box levels resulted in reduced SCF activity, as evidenced by accumulation of two substrates of the F-box protein Fbw7, cyclin E and c-myc, in Csn5-depleted cells.

Conclusion

We propose that deneddylation of Cul1 is required to sustain optimal activity of SCF ubiquitin ligases by repressing 'autoubiquitination' of F-box proteins within SCF complexes, thereby rescuing them from premature degradation.

KEL-8 is a substrate receptor for CUL3-dependent ubiquitin ligase that regulates synaptic glutamate receptor turnover

The regulated localization of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) to synapses is an important component of synaptic signaling and plasticity. Regulated ubiquitination and endocytosis determine the synaptic levels of AMPARs, but it is unclear which factors conduct these processes. To identify genes that regulate AMPAR synaptic abundance, we screened for mutants that accumulate high synaptic levels of the AMPAR subunit GLR-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. GLR-1 is localized to postsynaptic clusters, and mutants for the BTB-Kelch protein KEL-8 have increased GLR-1 levels at clusters, whereas the levels and localization of other synaptic proteins seem normal. KEL-8 is a neuronal protein and is localized to sites adjacent to GLR-1 postsynaptic clusters along the ventral cord neurites. KEL-8 is required for the ubiquitin-mediated turnover of GLR-1 subunits, and kel-8 mutants show an increased frequency of spontaneous reversals in locomotion, suggesting increased levels of GLR-1 are present at synapses. KEL-8 binds to CUL-3, a Cullin 3 ubiquitin ligase subunit that we also find mediates GLR-1 turnover. Our findings indicate that KEL-8 is a substrate receptor for Cullin 3 ubiquitin ligases that is required for the proteolysis of GLR-1 receptors and suggest a novel postmitotic role in neurons for Kelch/CUL3 ubiquitin ligases.

Transcriptional profiling of the cell cycle checkpoint gene krüppel-like factor 4 reveals a global inhibitory function in macromolecular biosynthesis

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4; also known as gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor or GKLF) is known to exhibit checkpoint function during the G1/S and G2/M transitions of the cell cycle. The mechanism by which KLF4 exerts these effects is not fully established. Here we investigated the expression profile of KLF4 in an inducible system over a time course of 24 h. Using oligonucleotide microarrays, we determined that the fold changes relative to control in expression levels of KLF4 exhibited a time-dependent increase from 3- to 20-fold between 4 and 24 h following KLF4 induction. During this period and among a group of 473 cell cycle regulatory genes examined, 96 were positively correlated and 86 were negatively correlated to KLF4's expression profile. Examples of upregulated cell cycle genes include those encoding tumor suppressors such as MCC and FHIT, and cell cycle inhibitors such as CHES1 and CHEK1. Examples of downregulated genes include those that promote the cell cycle including several cyclins and those required for DNA replication. Unexpectedly, several groups of genes involved in macromolecular synthesis, including protein biosynthesis, transcription, and cholesterol biosynthesis, were also significantly inhibited by KLF4. Thus, KLF4 exerts a global inhibitory effect on macromolecular biosynthesis that is beyond its established role as a cell cycle inhibitor.

Two-site substrate recognition model for the Keap1-Nrf2 system: a hinge and latch mechanism

Cells are equipped with a number of transcriptional factors that safeguard against various environmental insults. Proteasomal protein degradation plays an important role in the Keap1-Nrf2 cytoprotection system, with molecular machinery similar to that for other environmental defense systems such as inflammatory and hypoxic responses. While Nrf2 protein stabilization is known to be redox-sensitive, the transcription factors NF-kappaB and HIF-1alpha for inflammatory and hypoxic responses, respectively, are also influenced by the cellular redox conditions. In this review we present the recently proposed two-site substrate recognition model of the Keap1-Nrf2 system, which regulates the cellular responses against oxidative and xenobiotic stresses. The implications of two destructive motifs in Nrf2, the ETGE and DLG motifs, which appear to function as a hinge and latch attenuating Keap1 activity in different redox states, are discussed.

The short-lived Matalpha2 transcriptional repressor is protected from degradation in vivo by interactions with its corepressors Tup1 and Ssn6

The Matalpha2 (alpha2) protein is a transcriptional repressor necessary for the proper expression of cell type-specific genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Like many transcription factors, alpha2 is rapidly degraded in vivo by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. At least two different ubiquitin-dependent pathways target alpha2 for destruction, one of which recognizes the well-characterized Deg1 degradation determinant near the N terminus of the protein. Here we report that the alpha2 corepressors Tup1 and Ssn6 modify the in vivo degradation rate of alpha2. Tup1 modulates the metabolic stability of alpha2 by directly binding to the Deg1-containing region of the protein. TUP1 overexpression specifically stabilizes Deg1-containing proteins but not other substrates of the same ubiquitination enzymes that recognize Deg1. Point mutations in both alpha2 and Tup1 that compromise the alpha2-Tup1 binding interaction disrupt the ability of Tup1 to stabilize Deg1 proteins. The physical association between Tup1 and alpha2 competes with the ubiquitination machinery for access to the Deg1 signal. Finally, we observe that overproduction of both Tup1 and Ssn6, but not either alone, strongly stabilizes the endogenous alpha2 protein. From these results, we propose that the fraction of alpha2 found in active regulatory complexes with Tup1 and Ssn6 is spared from rapid proteolytic destruction and is stabilized relative to the uncomplexed pool of the protein.

Antigen presentation and the ubiquitin-proteasome system in host-pathogen interactions

Relatively small genomes and high replication rates allow viruses and bacteria to accumulate mutations. This continuously presents the host immune system with new challenges. On the other side of the trenches, an increasingly well-adjusted host immune response, shaped by coevolutionary history, makes a pathogen's life a rather complicated endeavor. It is, therefore, no surprise that pathogens either escape detection or modulate the host immune response, often by redirecting normal cellular pathways to their advantage. For the purpose of this chapter, we focus mainly on the manipulation of the class I and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen presentation pathways and the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome system by both viral and bacterial pathogens. First, we describe the general features of antigen presentation pathways and the Ub-proteasome system and then address how they are manipulated by pathogens. We discuss the many human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-encoded immunomodulatory genes that interfere with antigen presentation (immunoevasins) and focus on the HCMV immunoevasins US2 and US11, which induce the degradation of class I MHC heavy chains by the proteasome by catalyzing their export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-membrane into the cytosol, a process termed ER dislocation. US2- and US11-mediated subversion of ER dislocation ensures proteasomal degradation of class I MHC molecules and presumably allows HCMV to avoid recognition by cytotoxic T cells, whilst providing insight into general aspects of ER-associated degradation (ERAD) which is used by eukaryotic cells to purge their ER of defective proteins. We discuss the similarities and differences between the distinct pathways co-opted by US2 and US11 for dislocation and degradation of human class I MHC molecules and also a putatively distinct pathway utilized by the murine herpes virus (MHV)-68 mK3 immunoevasin for ER dislocation of murine class I MHC. We speculate on the implications of the three pathogen-exploited dislocation pathways to cellular ER quality control. Moreover, we discuss the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome system and its position at the core of antigen presentation as proteolysis and intracellular trafficking rely heavily on Ub-dependent processes. We add a few examples of manipulation of the Ub-proteasome system by pathogens in the context of the immune system and such diverse aspects of the host-pathogen relationship as virus budding, bacterial chromosome integration, and programmed cell death, to name a few. Finally, we speculate on newly found pathogen-encoded deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) and their putative roles in modulation of host-pathogen interactions.

C. elegans cell cycles: invariance and stem cell divisions

The adult Caenorhabditis elegans nematode, a small roundworm, has a precisely defined number of somatic cells that create organs that are also found in larger animals, including intestine, muscles, skin, an excretory system and a primitive brain. Every cell has a defined role in this sophisticated, but tiny animal. Therefore, stringent control of the cell cycle is required to produce the almost invariant cell lineage that generates the C. elegans somatic body plan. The proliferation of germ cells is regulated differently, and occurs within a stem cell niche.

Mechanistic insight into the allosteric activation of a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme by RING-type ubiquitin ligases

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) collaborate with the ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1) and ubiquitin ligases (E3s) to attach ubiquitin to target proteins. RING-containing E3s simultaneously bind to E2s and substrates, bringing them into close proximity and thus facilitating ubiquitination. We show herein that, although the E3-binding site on the human E2 UbcH5b is distant from its active site, two RING-type minimal E3 modules lacking substrate-binding functions greatly stimulate the rate of ubiquitin release from the UbcH5b-ubiquitin thioester. Using statistical coupling analysis and mutagenesis, we identify and characterize clusters of coevolving and functionally linked residues within UbcH5b that span its E3-binding and active sites. Several UbcH5b mutants are defective in their stimulation by E3s despite their abilities to bind to these E3s, to form ubiquitin thioesters, and to release ubiquitin at a basal rate. One such mutation, I37A, is distant from both the active site and the E3-binding site of UbcH5b. Our studies reveal structural determinants for communication between distal functional sites of E2s and suggest that RING-type E3s activate E2s allosterically.

PCNA functions as a molecular platform to trigger Cdt1 destruction and prevent re-replication

Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of the replication licensing factor Cdt1 (Cdc10-dependent transcript 1) in S phase is a key mechanism that limits DNA replication to a single round per cell cycle in metazoans. In Xenopus egg extracts, Cdt1 is destroyed on chromatin during DNA replication. Here, we report that replication-dependent proteolysis of Cdt1 requires its interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a homotrimeric processivity factor for DNA polymerases. Cdt1 binds to PCNA through a consensus PCNA-interaction motif that is conserved in Cdt1 of all metazoans, and removal of PCNA from egg extracts inhibits replication-dependent Cdt1 destruction. Mutation of the PCNA-interaction motif yields a stabilized Cdt1 protein that induces re-replication. DDB1, a component of the Cul4 E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediates human Cdt1 proteolysis in response to DNA damage, is also required for replication-dependent Cdt1 destruction. Cdt1 and DDB1 interact in extracts, and DDB1 chromatin loading is dependent on the binding of Cdt1 to PCNA, which indicates that PCNA docking activates the pre-formed Cdt1-Cul4(DDB1) ligase complex. Thus, PCNA functions as a platform for Cdt1 destruction, ensuring efficient and temporally restricted inactivation of a key cell-cycle regulator.

Different HECT domain ubiquitin ligases employ distinct mechanisms of polyubiquitin chain synthesis

Individual ubiquitin (Ub)-protein ligases (E3s) cooperate with specific Ub-conjugating enzymes (E2s) to modify cognate substrates with polyubiquitin chains. E3s belonging to the Really Interesting New Gene (RING) and Homologous to E6-Associated Protein (E6AP) C-Terminus (HECT) domain families utilize distinct molecular mechanisms. In particular, HECT E3s, but not RING E3s, form a thiol ester with Ub before transferring Ub to the substrate lysine. Here we report that different HECT domain E3s can employ distinct mechanisms of polyubiquitin chain synthesis. We show that E6AP builds up a K48-linked chain on its HECT cysteine residue, while KIAA10 builds up K48- and K29-linked chains as free entities. A small region near the N-terminus of the conserved HECT domain helps to bring about this functional distinction. Thus, a given HECT domain can specify both the linkage of a polyubiquitin chain and the mechanism of its assembly.

Cutting edge: bacterial modulation of epithelial signaling via changes in neddylation of cullin-1

The human enteric flora plays a significant role in intestinal health and disease. Certain enteric bacteria can inhibit the NF-kappaB pathway by blockade of IkappaB-alpha ubiquitination. IkappaB-alpha ubiquitination is catalyzed by the E3-SCF(betaTrCP) ubiquitin ligase, which is itself regulated via covalent modification of the cullin-1 subunit by the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8. Neddylation is a biochemical event associated with diverse cellular processes related to cell signaling, however, physiological regulation of cullin neddylation has not been described in mammalian systems. We report that interaction of nonpathogenic bacteria with epithelial cells resulted in a rapid loss of neddylated Cul-1 and consequent repression of the NF-kappaB pathway. This observation may explain the ability of intestinal bacterial communities to influence diverse eukaryotic processes in general and inflammatory tolerance of the mammalian intestinal epithelia specifically.

CDKs give Cdc6 a license to drive into S phase

The accumulation of Cdc6 promotes the initiation of DNA replication. In this issue of Cell, Mailand and Diffley (2005) show that phosphorylation of Cdc6 by cyclin-dependent kinases prevents its destruction by the anaphase promoting complex (APC). This simple mechanism explains how the APC simultaneously spares Cdc6 while targeting for destruction suppressors of DNA replication during the transition from quiescence to cell cycle reentry.

Regulation of ubiquitin ligase dynamics by the nucleolus

Cellular pathways relay information through dynamic protein interactions. We have assessed the kinetic properties of the murine double minute protein (MDM2) and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) ubiquitin ligases in living cells under physiological conditions that alter the stability of their respective p53 and hypoxia-inducible factor substrates. Photobleaching experiments reveal that MDM2 and VHL are highly mobile proteins in settings where their substrates are efficiently degraded. The nucleolar architecture converts MDM2 and VHL to a static state in response to regulatory cues that are associated with substrate stability. After signal termination, the nucleolus is able to rapidly release these proteins from static detention, thereby restoring their high mobility profiles. A protein surface region of VHL's β-sheet domain was identified as a discrete [H+]-responsive nucleolar detention signal that targets the VHL/Cullin-2 ubiquitin ligase complex to nucleoli in response to physiological fluctuations in environmental pH. Data shown here provide the first evidence that cells have evolved a mechanism to regulate molecular networks by reversibly switching proteins between a mobile and static state.

The F-box protein FBX4 targets PIN2/TRF1 for ubiquitin-mediated degradation and regulates telomere maintenance

Pin2/TRF1 was identified previously as both a protein (TRF1) that binds to telomeric DNA repeats and as a protein (Pin2) that associates with the kinase NIMA and suppresses its mitosis inducing activity. Pin2/TRF1 negatively regulates telomere length and also plays a critical role in cell cycle checkpoint control. Pin2/TRF1 is down-regulated in many human cancers and may be degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, but components of the pathway involved in Pin2/TRF1 turnover have not been elucidated. By using the two-hybrid system, we recently identified Pin2/TRF1-interacting proteins, PinX1-4, and we demonstrated that PinX1 is a conserved telomerase inhibitor and a putative tumor suppressor. Here we report the characterization of PinX3. PinX3 was later found to be identical to Fbx4, a member of the F-box family of proteins, which function as substrate-specific adaptors of Cul1-based ubiquitin ligases. Fbx4 interacts with both Pin2 and TRF1 isoforms and promotes their ubiquitination in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of Fbx4 reduces endogenous Pin2/TRF1 protein levels and causes progressive telomere elongation in human cells. In contrast, inhibition of Fbx4 by RNA interference stabilizes Pin2/TRF1 and promotes telomere shortening, thereby impairing cell growth. These results demonstrate that Fbx4 is a central regulator of Pin2/TRF1 protein abundance and that alterations in the stability of Pin2/TRF1 can have a dramatic impact on telomere length. Thus, Fbx4 may play a critical role in telomere maintenance.

The discovery of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis

In early 1980, Irwin A. Rose, Avram Hershko, and Aaron Ciechanover published two papers in PNAS that reported the astounding observation that energy-dependent intracellular proteolysis was far more complicated than the previously accepted models of lysosomal proteolysis or the action of ATP-dependent proteases such as bacterial lon. In fact, it has turned out to be even more complicated than they could have suspected. The general model of covalently attaching a small protein as a targeting signal has proved to be every bit as important to eukaryotic cells as the better understood modifications such as phosphorylation or acetylation. The key player in this modification, a small protein called ubiquitin (APF-1 in these papers), is the founding member of a large family of proteins containing the beta-grasp fold and is used as a posttranslational targeting signal to modify the structure, function, and/or localization of other proteins. The story of this discovery is a textbook example of the confluence of intellectual curiosity, unselfish collaboration, chance, luck, and preparation.

E3 ubiquitin ligases and their control of T cell autoreactivity

A loss of T cell tolerance underlies the development of most autoimmune diseases. The design of therapeutic strategies to reinstitute immune tolerance, however, is hampered by uncertainty regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the inactivation of potentially autoreactive T cells. Recently, E3 ubiquitin ligases have been shown to mediate the development of a durable state of unresponsiveness in T cells called clonal anergy. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms used by E3 ligases to control the activation of T cells and prevent the development of autoimmunity.

A deubiquitinating enzyme encoded by HSV-1 belongs to a family of cysteine proteases that is conserved across the family Herpesviridae

We have discovered a ubiquitin (Ub)-specific cysteine protease encoded within the N-terminal approximately 500 residues of the UL36 gene product, the largest (3164 aa) tegument protein of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Enzymatic activity of this fragment, UL36USP, is detectable only after cleavage of UL36USP from full-length UL36 and occurs late during viral replication. UL36USP bears no homology to known deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) or Ub binding proteins. Sequence alignment of the large tegument proteins across the family Herpesviridae indicates conservation of key catalytic residues amongst these viruses. Recombinant UL36USP exhibits hydrolytic activity toward Ub-AMC and ubiquitinated branched peptides in vitro. In addition, recombinant UL36USP can cleave polyUb chains and appears to be specific for Lys48 linkages. Mutation of the active site cysteine residue (Cys65) to alanine abolishes this enzymatic activity. The lack of homology between UL36USP and eukaryotic DUBs makes this new family of herpesvirus ubiquitin-specific proteases attractive targets for selective inhibition.

E3 ubiquitin ligases

The selectivity of the ubiquitin–26 S proteasome system (UPS) for a particular substrate protein relies on the interaction between a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2, of which a cell contains relatively few) and a ubiquitin–protein ligase (E3, of which there are possibly hundreds). Post-translational modifications of the protein substrate, such as phosphorylation or hydroxylation, are often required prior to its selection. In this way, the precise spatio-temporal targeting and degradation of a given substrate can be achieved. The E3s are a large, diverse group of proteins, characterized by one of several defining motifs. These include a HECT (homologous to E6-associated protein C-terminus), RING (really interesting new gene) or U-box (a modified RING motif without the full complement of Zn2+-binding ligands) domain. Whereas HECT E3s have a direct role in catalysis during ubiquitination, RING and U-box E3s facilitate protein ubiquitination. These latter two E3 types act as adaptor-like molecules. They bring an E2 and a substrate into sufficiently close proximity to promote the substrate's ubiquitination. Although many RING-type E3s, such as MDM2 (murine double minute clone 2 oncoprotein) and c-Cbl, can apparently act alone, others are found as components of much larger multi-protein complexes, such as the anaphase-promoting complex. Taken together, these multifaceted properties and interactions enable E3s to provide a powerful, and specific, mechanism for protein clearance within all cells of eukaryotic organisms. The importance of E3s is highlighted by the number of normal cellular processes they regulate, and the number of diseases associated with their loss of function or inappropriate targeting.

Global approaches to understanding ubiquitination

Ubiquitination--the linkage of one or more molecules of the protein ubiquitin to another protein--regulates a wide range of biological processes in all eukaryotes. We review the proteome-wide strategies that are being used to study aspects of ubiquitin biology, including substrates, components of the proteasome and ubiquitin ligases, and deubiquitination.

The zinc finger of the CSN-associated deubiquitinating enzyme USP15 is essential to rescue the E3 ligase Rbx1

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a conserved protein complex found in all eukaryotic cells and involved in the regulation of the ubiquitin (Ub)/26S proteasome system. It binds numerous proteins, including the Ub E3 ligases and the deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp12p, the S. pombe ortholog of human USP15. We found that USP15 copurified with the human CSN complex. Isolated CSN complex exhibited protease activity that deubiquitinated poly-Ub substrates and was completely inhibited by o-phenanthroline (OPT), a metal-chelating agent. Surprisingly, the recombinant USP15 was also not able to cleave isopeptide bonds of poly-Ub chains in presence of OPT. Detailed analysis of USP sequences led to the discovery of a novel zinc (Zn) finger in USP15 and related USPs. Mutation of a single conserved cysteine residue in the predicted Zn binding motif resulted in the loss of USP15 capability to degrade poly-Ub substrates, indicating that the Zn finger is essential for the cleavage of poly-Ub chains. Moreover, pulldown experiments demonstrated diminished binding of tetra-Ub to mutated USP15. Cotransfection of USP15 and the Ub ligase Rbx1 revealed that the wild-type deubiquitinating enzyme, but not the USP15 mutant with a defective Zn finger, stabilized Rbx1 toward the Ub system, most likely by reversing poly/autoubiquitination. In summary, a functional Zn finger of USP15 is needed to maintain a conformation essential for disassembling poly-Ub chains, a prerequisite for rescuing the E3 ligase Rbx1.

E3 ubiquitin ligases as regulators of membrane protein trafficking and degradation

Ubiquitination is a regulated post-translational modification that conjugates ubiquitin (Ub) to lysine residues of target proteins and determines their intracellular fate. The canonical role of ubiquitination is to mediate degradation by the proteasome of short-lived cytoplasmic proteins that carry a single, polymeric chain of Ub on a specific lysine residue. However, protein modification by Ub has much broader and diverse functions involved in a myriad of cellular processes. Monoubiquitination, at one or multiple lysine residues of transmembrane proteins, influences their stability, protein-protein recognition, activity and intracellular localization. In these processes, Ub functions as an internalization signal that sends the modified substrate to the endocytic/sorting compartments, followed by recycling to the plasma membrane or degradation in the lysosome. E3 ligases play a pivotal role in ubiquitination, because they recognize the acceptor protein and hence dictate the high specificity of the reaction. The multitude of E3s present in nature suggests their nonredundant mode of action and the need for their controlled regulation. Here we give a short account of E3 ligases that specifically modify and regulate membrane proteins. We emphasize the intricate network of interacting proteins that contribute to the substrate-E3 recognition and determine the substrate's cellular fate.

The Clr7 and Clr8 directionality factors and the Pcu4 cullin mediate heterochromatin formation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Fission yeast heterochromatin is formed at centromeres, telomeres, and in the mating-type region where it mediates the transcriptional silencing of the mat2-P and mat3-M donor loci and the directionality of mating-type switching. We conducted a genetic screen for directionality mutants. This screen revealed the essential role of two previously uncharacterized factors, Clr7 and Clr8, in heterochromatin formation. Clr7 and Clr8 are required for localization of the Swi6 chromodomain protein and for histone H3 lysine 9 methylation, thereby influencing not only mating-type switching but also transcriptional silencing in all previously characterized heterochromatic regions, chromosome segregation, and meiotic recombination in the mating-type region. We present evidence for physical interactions between Clr7 and the mating-type region and between Clr7 and the S. pombe cullin Pcu4, indicating that a complex containing these proteins mediates an early step in heterochromatin formation and implying a role for ubiquitination at this early stage prior to the action of the Clr4 histone methyl-transferase. Like Clr7 and Clr8, Pcu4 is required for histone H3 lysine 9 methylation, and bidirectional centromeric transcripts that are normally processed into siRNA by the RNAi machinery in wild-type cells are easily detected in cells lacking Clr7, Clr8, or Pcu4. Another physical interaction, between the nucleoporin Nup189 and Clr8, suggests that Clr8 might be involved in tethering heterochromatic regions to the nuclear envelope by association with the nuclear-pore complex.

A family of mammalian E3 ubiquitin ligases that contain the UBR box motif and recognize N-degrons

A subset of proteins targeted by the N-end rule pathway bear degradation signals called N-degrons, whose determinants include destabilizing N-terminal residues. Our previous work identified mouse UBR1 and UBR2 as E3 ubiquitin ligases that recognize N-degrons. Such E3s are called N-recognins. We report here that while double-mutant UBR1(-/-) UBR2(-/-) mice die as early embryos, the rescued UBR1(-/-) UBR2(-/-) fibroblasts still retain the N-end rule pathway, albeit of lower activity than that of wild-type fibroblasts. An affinity assay for proteins that bind to destabilizing N-terminal residues has identified, in addition to UBR1 and UBR2, a huge (570 kDa) mouse protein, termed UBR4, and also the 300-kDa UBR5, a previously characterized mammalian E3 known as EDD/hHYD. UBR1, UBR2, UBR4, and UBR5 shared a approximately 70-amino-acid zinc finger-like domain termed the UBR box. The mammalian genome encodes at least seven UBR box-containing proteins, which we propose to call UBR1 to UBR7. UBR1(-/-) UBR2(-/-) fibroblasts that have been made deficient in UBR4 as well (through RNA interference) were significantly impaired in the degradation of N-end rule substrates such as the Sindbis virus RNA polymerase nsP4 (bearing N-terminal Tyr) and the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase (bearing N-terminal Phe). Our results establish the UBR box family as a unique class of E3 proteins that recognize N-degrons or structurally related determinants for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis and perhaps other processes as well.

A Rik1-associated, cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase is essential for heterochromatin formation

Heterochromatin is critical for proper centromere and telomere function, and it plays a key role in the transcriptional silencing of specific genomic loci. In fission yeast, the Rik1 protein functions with the Clr4 histone methyltransferase at an early step in heterochromatin formation. Here, we use mass spectrometry and tandem affinity purification of a Rik1-TAP fusion protein to identify Rik1-associated proteins. These studies identify two novel proteins, Raf1 and Raf2, which we find are required for H3-K9 methylation and for transcriptional silencing within centromeric heterochromatin. We also find that subunits of a cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase are associated with Rik1 and Clr4, and Rik1-TAP preparations exhibit robust E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Furthermore, expression of a dominant-negative allele of the Pcu4 cullin subunit disrupts regulation of K4 methylation within heterochromatin. These studies provide evidence for a novel Rik1-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase that is required for heterochromatin formation.

Neddylation and deneddylation regulate Cul1 and Cul3 protein accumulation

Cullin family proteins organize ubiquitin ligase (E3) complexes to target numerous cellular proteins for proteasomal degradation. Neddylation, the process that conjugates the ubiquitin-like polypeptide Nedd8 to the conserved lysines of cullins, is essential for in vivo cullin-organized E3 activities. Deneddylation, which removes the Nedd8 moiety, requires the isopeptidase activity of the COP9 signalosome (CSN). Here we show that in cells deficient for CSN activity, cullin1 (Cul1) and cullin3 (Cul3) proteins are unstable, and that to preserve their normal cellular levels, CSN isopeptidase activity is required. We further show that neddylated Cul1 and Cul3 are unstable - as suggested by the evidence that Nedd8 promotes the instability of both cullins - and that the unneddylatable forms of cullins are stable. The protein stability of Nedd8 is also subject to CSN regulation and this regulation depends on its cullin-conjugating ability, suggesting that Nedd8-conjugated cullins are degraded en bloc. We propose that while Nedd8 promotes cullin activation through neddylation, neddylation also renders cullins unstable. Thus, CSN deneddylation recycles the unstable, neddylated cullins into stable, unneddylated ones, and promotes cullin-organized E3 activity in vivo.

Ubiquitin ligase component Cul4 associates with Clr4 histone methyltransferase to assemble heterochromatin

In eukaryotes, heterochromatin mediates diverse processes including gene silencing and regulation of long-range chromatin interactions. The formation of heterochromatin involves a conserved array of histone modifications; in particular, methylation of histone H3 at Lys 9 (H3K9me) is essential for recruiting HP1/Swi6 proteins. In fission yeast, the Clr4 methyltransferase is responsible for H3K9me across all heterochromatic domains. However, the mechanism of Clr4 recruitment to these loci is poorly understood. We show that Clr4 associates with Cul4, a cullin family protein that serves as a scaffold for assembling ubiquitin ligases. Mutations in Cul4 result in defective localization of Clr4 and loss of silencing at heterochromatic loci. This is accompanied by a severe reduction in H3K9me and Swi6 levels, and accumulation of transcripts corresponding to naturally silenced repeat elements within heterochromatic domains. Moreover, heterochromatin defects in Cul4 mutants could not be rescued by expression of Cul4 protein lacking Nedd8 modification, which is essential for its ubiquitin ligase activity. Rik1, a protein related to DNA damage binding protein DDB1 and required for H3K9me, also interacts with Cul4, the association of which might serve to target Clr4 to heterochromatic loci. These analyses uncover a role for Cul4-based protein ubiquitination in regulating H3K9me and heterochromatin formation.

A new FronTIR in targeted protein degradation and plant development

Three papers, two in a recent issue of Nature and one in the July issue of Developmental Cell, identify a family of F box proteins as the long-sought receptors for the plant growth hormone auxin. The new studies reveal that auxin, a small molecule, regulates F box proteins, which are involved in ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. This finding has profound implications for understanding plant physiology and development and for defining new modes of regulation of SCF ubiquitin ligase complexes.