4nnj

Structural highlights

Function

[UBA1_YEAST] Activates ubiquitin by first adenylating its C-terminal glycine residue with ATP, and thereafter linking this residue to the side chain of a cysteine residue in E1, yielding an ubiquitin-E1 thioester and free AMP. [UBI4P_YEAST] 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, and DNA-damage responses. 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 (By similarity).

See Also

• Ubiquitin activating enzyme

References

1. ↑ Schafer A, Kuhn M, Schindelin H. Structure of the ubiquitin-activating enzyme loaded with two ubiquitin molecules. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2014 May;70(Pt 5):1311-20. doi:, 10.1107/S1399004714002910. Epub 2014 Apr 30. PMID:24816100 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/S1399004714002910