Matti Davis

Identification of the receptor component of the IκBα-ubiquitin ligase

NF-κB, a ubiquitous, inducible transcription factor involved in immune, inflammatory, stress and developmental processes, is retained in a latent form in the cytoplasm of non-stimulated cells by inhibitory molecules, IκBs. Its activation is a paradigm for a signal-transduction cascade that integrates an inducible kinase and the ubiquitin–proteasome system to eliminate inhibitory regulators. Here we isolate the pIκBα–ubiquitin ligase (pIκBα-E3) that attaches ubiquitin, a small protein which marks other proteins for degradation by the proteasome system, to the phosphorylated NF-κB inhibitor pIκBα. Taking advantage of its high affinity to pIκBα, we isolate this ligase from HeLa cells by single-step immunoaffinity purification. Using nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry, we identify the specific component of the ligase that recognizes the pIκBα degradation motif as an F-box/WD-domainprotein belonging to a recently distinguished family of β-TrCP/Slimb proteins. This component, which we denote E3RSIκB (pIκBα-E3 receptor subunit), binds specifically to pIκBα and promotes its in vitro ubiquitination in the presence of two other ubiquitin-system enzymes, E1 and UBC5C, one of many known E2 enzymes. An F-box-deletion mutant of E3RSIκB, which tightly binds pIκBα but does not support its ubiquitination, acts in vivo as a dominant-negative molecule, inhibiting the degradation of pIκBα and consequently NF-κB activation. E3RSIκB represents a family of receptor proteins that are core components of a class of ubiquitin ligases. When these receptor components recognize their specific ligand, which is a conserved, phosphorylation-based sequence motif, they target regulatory proteins containing this motif for proteasomal degradation.

Identification of the receptor component of the IkappaBalpha-ubiquitin ligase.

NF-κB, a ubiquitous, inducible transcription factor involved in immune, inflammatory, stress and developmental processes, is retained in a latent form in the cytoplasm of non-stimulated cells by inhibitory molecules, IκBs. Its activation is a paradigm for a signal-transduction cascade that integrates an inducible kinase and the ubiquitin–proteasome system to eliminate inhibitory regulators. Here we isolate the pIκBα–ubiquitin ligase (pIκBα-E3) that attaches ubiquitin, a small protein which marks other proteins for degradation by the proteasome system, to the phosphorylated NF-κB inhibitor pIκBα. Taking advantage of its high affinity to pIκBα, we isolate this ligase from HeLa cells by single-step immunoaffinity purification. Using nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry, we identify the specific component of the ligase that recognizes the pIκBα degradation motif as an F-box/WD-domainprotein belonging to a recently distinguished family of β-TrCP/Slimb proteins. This component, which we denote E3RSIκB (pIκBα-E3 receptor subunit), binds specifically to pIκBα and promotes its in vitro ubiquitination in the presence of two other ubiquitin-system enzymes, E1 and UBC5C, one of many known E2 enzymes. An F-box-deletion mutant of E3RSIκB, which tightly binds pIκBα but does not support its ubiquitination, acts in vivo as a dominant-negative molecule, inhibiting the degradation of pIκBα and consequently NF-κB activation. E3RSIκB represents a family of receptor proteins that are core components of a class of ubiquitin ligases. When these receptor components recognize their specific ligand, which is a conserved, phosphorylation-based sequence motif, they target regulatory proteins containing this motif for proteasomal degradation.

Spermatogenesis rescue in a mouse deficient for the ubiquitin ligase SCFβ-TrCP by single substrate depletion

beta-TrCP, the substrate recognition subunit of a Skp1-Cul1-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase, is ubiquitously expressed from two distinct paralogs, targeting many regulatory proteins for proteasomal degradation. We generated inducible beta-TrCP hypomorphic mice and found that they are surprisingly healthy, yet have a severe testicular defect. We show that the two beta-TrCP paralogs have a nonredundant role in spermatogenesis. The testicular defect is tightly associated with cell adhesion failure within the seminiferous tubules and is fully reversible upon beta-TrCP restoration. Remarkably, testicular depletion of a single beta-TrCP substrate, Snail1, rescued the adhesion defect and restored spermatogenesis. Our studies highlight an unexpected functional reserve of this central E3, as well as a bottleneck in a specific tissue: a single substrate whose stabilization is incompatible with testicular differentiation.

Behind the scenes of anergy: a tale of three E3s

Anergy induction initiates a transcription program involving the upregulation of several ubiquitin ligases (E3s). New data show how these E3s contribute to the establishment of anergy.

Identification of the receptor component of the I|[kappa]|B|[alpha]||[ndash]|ubiquitin ligase

NF-κB, a ubiquitous, inducible transcription factor involved in immune, inflammatory, stress and developmental processes, is retained in a latent form in the cytoplasm of non-stimulated cells by inhibitory molecules, IκBs. Its activation is a paradigm for a signal-transduction cascade that integrates an inducible kinase and the ubiquitin–proteasome system to eliminate inhibitory regulators. Here we isolate the pIκBα–ubiquitin ligase (pIκBα-E3) that attaches ubiquitin, a small protein which marks other proteins for degradation by the proteasome system, to the phosphorylated NF-κB inhibitor pIκBα. Taking advantage of its high affinity to pIκBα, we isolate this ligase from HeLa cells by single-step immunoaffinity purification. Using nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry, we identify the specific component of the ligase that recognizes the pIκBα degradation motif as an F-box/WD-domainprotein belonging to a recently distinguished family of β-TrCP/Slimb proteins. This component, which we denote E3RSIκB (pIκBα-E3 receptor subunit), binds specifically to pIκBα and promotes its in vitro ubiquitination in the presence of two other ubiquitin-system enzymes, E1 and UBC5C, one of many known E2 enzymes. An F-box-deletion mutant of E3RSIκB, which tightly binds pIκBα but does not support its ubiquitination, acts in vivo as a dominant-negative molecule, inhibiting the degradation of pIκBα and consequently NF-κB activation. E3RSIκB represents a family of receptor proteins that are core components of a class of ubiquitin ligases. When these receptor components recognize their specific ligand, which is a conserved, phosphorylation-based sequence motif, they target regulatory proteins containing this motif for proteasomal degradation.