Structural highlights
Function
[RL40_HUMAN] Ubiquitin exists either covalently attached to another protein, or free (unanchored). When covalently bound, it is conjugated to target proteins via an isopeptide bond either as a monomer (monoubiquitin), a polymer linked via different Lys residues of the ubiquitin (polyubiquitin chains) or a linear polymer linked via the initiator Met of the ubiquitin (linear polyubiquitin chains). Polyubiquitin chains, when attached to a target protein, have different functions depending on the Lys residue of the ubiquitin that is linked: Lys-6-linked may be involved in DNA repair; Lys-11-linked is involved in ERAD (endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation) and in cell-cycle regulation; Lys-29-linked is involved in lysosomal degradation; Lys-33-linked is involved in kinase modification; Lys-48-linked is involved in protein degradation via the proteasome; Lys-63-linked is involved in endocytosis, DNA-damage responses as well as in signaling processes leading to activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa-B. Linear polymer chains formed via attachment by the initiator Met lead to cell signaling. Ubiquitin is usually conjugated to Lys residues of target proteins, however, in rare cases, conjugation to Cys or Ser residues has been observed. When polyubiquitin is free (unanchored-polyubiquitin), it also has distinct roles, such as in activation of protein kinases, and in signaling.[1] [2] Ribosomal protein L40 is a component of the 60S subunit of the ribosome.[3] [4]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Ubiquitin has many attributes suitable for a crystallization chaperone, including high stability and ease of expression. However, ubiquitin contains a high surface density of lysine residues and the doctrine of surface-entropy reduction suggests that these lysines will resist participating in packing interactions and thereby impede crystallization. To assess the contributions of these residues to crystallization behavior, each of the seven lysines of ubiquitin was mutated to serine and the corresponding single-site mutant proteins were expressed and purified. The behavior of these seven mutants was then compared with that of the wild-type protein in a 384-condition crystallization screen. The likelihood of obtaining crystals varied by two orders of magnitude within this set of eight proteins. Some mutants crystallized much more readily than the wild type, while others crystallized less readily. X-ray crystal structures were determined for three readily crystallized variants: K11S, K33S and the K11S/K63S double mutant. These structures revealed that the mutant serine residues can directly promote crystallization by participating in favorable packing interactions; the mutations can also exert permissive effects, wherein crystallization appears to be driven by removal of the lysine rather than by addition of a serine. Presumably, such permissive effects reflect the elimination of steric and electrostatic barriers to crystallization.
Enhancing ubiquitin crystallization through surface-entropy reduction.,Loll PJ, Xu P, Schmidt JT, Melideo SL Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun. 2014 Oct 1;70(Pt 10):1434-42. doi:, 10.1107/S2053230X14019244. Epub 2014 Sep 25. PMID:25286958[5]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Huang F, Kirkpatrick D, Jiang X, Gygi S, Sorkin A. Differential regulation of EGF receptor internalization and degradation by multiubiquitination within the kinase domain. Mol Cell. 2006 Mar 17;21(6):737-48. PMID:16543144 doi:S1097-2765(06)00120-1
- ↑ Komander D. The emerging complexity of protein ubiquitination. Biochem Soc Trans. 2009 Oct;37(Pt 5):937-53. doi: 10.1042/BST0370937. PMID:19754430 doi:10.1042/BST0370937
- ↑ Huang F, Kirkpatrick D, Jiang X, Gygi S, Sorkin A. Differential regulation of EGF receptor internalization and degradation by multiubiquitination within the kinase domain. Mol Cell. 2006 Mar 17;21(6):737-48. PMID:16543144 doi:S1097-2765(06)00120-1
- ↑ Komander D. The emerging complexity of protein ubiquitination. Biochem Soc Trans. 2009 Oct;37(Pt 5):937-53. doi: 10.1042/BST0370937. PMID:19754430 doi:10.1042/BST0370937
- ↑ Loll PJ, Xu P, Schmidt JT, Melideo SL. Enhancing ubiquitin crystallization through surface-entropy reduction. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun. 2014 Oct 1;70(Pt 10):1434-42. doi:, 10.1107/S2053230X14019244. Epub 2014 Sep 25. PMID:25286958 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/S2053230X14019244
