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Chen X, Raiff A, Li S, Guo Q, Zhang J, Zhou H, Timms RT, Yao X, Elledge SJ, Koren I, Zhang K, Xu C. Mechanism of Ψ-Pro/C-degron recognition by the CRL2 FEM1B ubiquitin ligase. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3558. [PMID: 38670995 PMCID: PMC11053023 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47890-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The E3 ligase-degron interaction determines the specificity of the ubiquitin‒proteasome system. We recently discovered that FEM1B, a substrate receptor of Cullin 2-RING ligase (CRL2), recognizes C-degrons containing a C-terminal proline. By solving several cryo-EM structures of CRL2FEM1B bound to different C-degrons, we elucidate the dimeric assembly of the complex. Furthermore, we reveal distinct dimerization states of unmodified and neddylated CRL2FEM1B to uncover the NEDD8-mediated activation mechanism of CRL2FEM1B. Our research also indicates that, FEM1B utilizes a bipartite mechanism to recognize both the C-terminal proline and an upstream aromatic residue within the substrate. These structural findings, complemented by in vitro ubiquitination and in vivo cell-based assays, demonstrate that CRL2FEM1B-mediated polyubiquitination and subsequent protein turnover depend on both FEM1B-degron interactions and the dimerization state of the E3 ligase complex. Overall, this study deepens our molecular understanding of how Cullin-RING E3 ligase substrate selection mediates protein turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Anat Raiff
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Shanshan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Qiong Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Jiahai Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Hualin Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Richard T Timms
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Xuebiao Yao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Stephen J Elledge
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Itay Koren
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China.
| | - Chao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China.
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China.
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Li J, Purser N, Liwocha J, Scott DC, Byers HA, Steigenberger B, Hill S, Tripathi-Giesgen I, Hinkle T, Hansen FM, Prabu JR, Radhakrishnan SK, Kirkpatrick DS, Reichermeier KM, Schulman BA, Kleiger G. Cullin-RING ligases employ geometrically optimized catalytic partners for substrate targeting. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1304-1320.e16. [PMID: 38382526 PMCID: PMC10997478 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) ubiquitylate specific substrates selected from other cellular proteins. Substrate discrimination and ubiquitin transferase activity were thought to be strictly separated. Substrates are recognized by substrate receptors, such as Fbox or BCbox proteins. Meanwhile, CRLs employ assorted ubiquitin-carrying enzymes (UCEs, which are a collection of E2 and ARIH-family E3s) specialized for either initial substrate ubiquitylation (priming) or forging poly-ubiquitin chains. We discovered specific human CRL-UCE pairings governing substrate priming. The results reveal pairing of CUL2-based CRLs and UBE2R-family UCEs in cells, essential for efficient PROTAC-induced neo-substrate degradation. Despite UBE2R2's intrinsic programming to catalyze poly-ubiquitylation, CUL2 employs this UCE for geometrically precise PROTAC-dependent ubiquitylation of a neo-substrate and for rapid priming of substrates recruited to diverse receptors. Cryo-EM structures illuminate how CUL2-based CRLs engage UBE2R2 to activate substrate ubiquitylation. Thus, pairing with a specific UCE overcomes E2 catalytic limitations to drive substrate ubiquitylation and targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Nicholas Purser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Joanna Liwocha
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Daniel C Scott
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Holly A Byers
- Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Barbara Steigenberger
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Spencer Hill
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Ishita Tripathi-Giesgen
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Trent Hinkle
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Fynn M Hansen
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - J Rajan Prabu
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Brenda A Schulman
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany; Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| | - Gary Kleiger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA; Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany.
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3
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Liwocha J, Li J, Purser N, Rattanasopa C, Maiwald S, Krist DT, Scott DC, Steigenberger B, Prabu JR, Schulman BA, Kleiger G. Mechanism of millisecond Lys48-linked poly-ubiquitin chain formation by cullin-RING ligases. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:378-389. [PMID: 38326650 PMCID: PMC10873206 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01206-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
E3 ubiquitin ligases, in collaboration with E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes, modify proteins with poly-ubiquitin chains. Cullin-RING ligase (CRL) E3s use Cdc34/UBE2R-family E2s to build Lys48-linked poly-ubiquitin chains to control an enormous swath of eukaryotic biology. Yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this exceptional linkage specificity and millisecond kinetics of poly-ubiquitylation remain unclear. Here we obtain cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures that provide pertinent insight into how such poly-ubiquitin chains are forged. The CRL RING domain not only activates the E2-bound ubiquitin but also shapes the conformation of a distinctive UBE2R2 loop, positioning both the ubiquitin to be transferred and the substrate-linked acceptor ubiquitin within the active site. The structures also reveal how the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 uniquely activates CRLs during chain formation. NEDD8 releases the RING domain from the CRL, but unlike previous CRL-E2 structures, does not contact UBE2R2. These findings suggest how poly-ubiquitylation may be accomplished by many E2s and E3s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Liwocha
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jerry Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Nicholas Purser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Chutima Rattanasopa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Samuel Maiwald
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - David T Krist
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Daniel C Scott
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Barbara Steigenberger
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - J Rajan Prabu
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Brenda A Schulman
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Gary Kleiger
- Department of Molecular Machines and Signaling, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
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Wang K, Diaz S, Li L, Lohman JR, Liu X. CAND1 inhibits Cullin-2-RING ubiquitin ligases for enhanced substrate specificity. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:323-335. [PMID: 38177676 PMCID: PMC10923007 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01167-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Through targeting essential cellular regulators for ubiquitination and serving as a major platform for discovering proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) drugs, Cullin-2 (CUL2)-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRL2s) comprise an important family of CRLs. The founding members of CRLs, the CUL1-based CRL1s, are known to be activated by CAND1, which exchanges the variable substrate receptors associated with the common CUL1 core and promotes the dynamic assembly of CRL1s. Here we find that CAND1 inhibits CRL2-mediated protein degradation in human cells. This effect arises due to altered binding kinetics, involving CAND1 and CRL2VHL, as we illustrate that CAND1 dramatically increases the dissociation rate of CRL2s but barely accelerates the assembly of stable CRL2s. Using PROTACs that differently recruit neo-substrates to CRL2VHL, we demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of CAND1 helps distinguish target proteins with different affinities for CRL2s, presenting a mechanism for selective protein degradation with proper pacing in the changing cellular environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kankan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Stephanie Diaz
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lihong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jeremy R Lohman
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
- Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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5
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Zhao S, Olmayev-Yaakobov D, Ru W, Li S, Chen X, Zhang J, Yao X, Koren I, Zhang K, Xu C. Molecular basis for C-degron recognition by CRL2 APPBP2 ubiquitin ligase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308870120. [PMID: 37844242 PMCID: PMC10614623 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308870120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
E3 ubiquitin ligases determine the specificity of eukaryotic protein degradation by selective binding to destabilizing protein motifs, termed degrons, in substrates for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. The exposed C-terminal residues of proteins can act as C-degrons that are recognized by distinct substrate receptors (SRs) as part of dedicated cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complexes. APPBP2, an SR of Cullin 2-RING ligase (CRL2), has been shown to recognize R-x-x-G/C-degron; however, the molecular mechanism of recognition remains elusive. By solving several cryogenic electron microscopy structures of active CRL2APPBP2 bound with different R-x-x-G/C-degrons, we unveiled the molecular mechanisms underlying the assembly of the CRL2APPBP2 dimer and tetramer, as well as C-degron recognition. The structural study, complemented by binding experiments and cell-based assays, demonstrates that APPBP2 specifically recognizes the R-x-x-G/C-degron via a bipartite mechanism; arginine and glycine, which play critical roles in C-degron recognition, accommodate distinct pockets that are spaced by two residues. In addition, the binding pocket is deep enough to enable the interaction of APPBP2 with the motif placed at or up to three residues upstream of the C-end. Overall, our study not only provides structural insight into CRL2APPBP2-mediated protein turnover but also serves as the basis for future structure-based chemical probe design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shidong Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Diana Olmayev-Yaakobov
- The Mina and Everard GoodmanFaculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan5290002, Israel
| | - Wenwen Ru
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Xinyan Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Jiahai Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Xuebiao Yao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Itay Koren
- The Mina and Everard GoodmanFaculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan5290002, Israel
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
| | - Chao Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, Peoples Republic of China
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6
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Wang K, Liu X. Determining the Effects of Neddylation on Cullin‐RING Ligase–Dependent Protein Ubiquitination. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e401. [PMID: 35316580 PMCID: PMC8969890 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
As the largest family of ubiquitin (Ub) E3 ligases, cullin‐RING ligases (CRLs) play crucial roles in various cellular processes, and their activities are tightly regulated by orchestrated mechanisms. Neddylation, the conjugation of a Ub‐like protein NEDD8 to a target protein such as the cullin, represents a key regulatory mechanism for CRLs. Biochemical and structural studies of a few CRLs have revealed that cullin neddylation alters the CRL conformation and activates CRL‐dependent protein ubiquitination. Here, using CUL2‐RING ligase (CRL2) as an example, we describe our protocols for the preparation of recombinant CUL2 with or without NEDD8 conjugation, which is further used to quantitatively determine the effect of neddylation on CRL2‐dependent protein ubiquitination in vitro. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Expression and purification of CUL2•RBX1 from Escherichia coli Support Protocol: Further purification of CUL2•RBX1 with additional chromatography on an FPLC system Basic Protocol 2: Reconstitution of cullin neddylation for quantitative ubiquitination assay in vitro
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Affiliation(s)
- Kankan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Biochemistry Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
- Center for Plant Biology Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
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Wang K, Reichermeier KM, Liu X. Quantitative analyses for effects of neddylation on CRL2 VHL substrate ubiquitination and degradation. Protein Sci 2021; 30:2338-2345. [PMID: 34459035 PMCID: PMC8521307 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Through catalyzing the ubiquitination of key regulatory proteins, cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) play essential biological roles and their activities are controlled by multiple mechanisms including neddylation, the conjugation of NEDD8 to cullins. Upon neddylation, a CRL, such as the CUL1-based CRL1, undergoes conformational changes that accelerate substrate ubiquitination. Given the structural diversity across subfamilies of CRLs and their substrates, to what extent neddylation modulates the activity of individual CRLs remains to be evaluated. Here, through reconstituting the CRL2 ubiquitination reaction in vitro, we showed that neddylation promotes CRL2VHL -dependent degradation of both full-length HIF1α and the degron peptide of HIF1α, resulting in more than 10-fold increase in the rate of substrate ubiquitination. Consistently, pevonedistat (also known as MLN4924), an inhibitor of neddylation, inhibits the degradation of HIF1α in RCC4 cells stably expressing VHL in cycloheximide chase assays. However, such inhibitory effect of pevonedistat on HIF1α degradation was not observed in HEK293 cells, which was further found to be due to CRL2VHL -independent degradation that was active in HEK293 but not RCC4 cells. After truncating HIF1α to its Carboxy-terminal Oxygen-Dependent Degradation (CODD) domain, we showed that pevonedistat inhibited the degradation of CODD and increased its half-life by six-fold in HEK293 cells. Our results demonstrate that neddylation plays a significant role in activating CRL2, and the cellular activity of CRL2VHL is better reflected by the degradation of CODD than that of HIF1α, especially under conditions where CRL2-independent degradation of HIF1α is active.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kankan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Kurt M Reichermeier
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.,University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.,Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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