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Role of the ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 in protein degradation and ...

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Introduction<br />

example conta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> deubiquitylat<strong>in</strong>g enzyme isopeptidase T or <strong>the</strong> tubul<strong>in</strong><br />

deacetylase HDAC6. Most <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g doma<strong>in</strong>s display a preference for ei-<br />

<strong>the</strong>r mono<strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>, different poly<strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong> cha<strong>in</strong> topologies or <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-<strong>like</strong> do-<br />

ma<strong>in</strong>s, although <strong>the</strong> exact molecular determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> this ability to discrim<strong>in</strong>ate<br />

rema<strong>in</strong> unknown (Hurley et al., 2006).<br />

Ubiquit<strong>in</strong>-Like Prote<strong>in</strong>s<br />

All eukaryotic cells conta<strong>in</strong> several additional prote<strong>in</strong>s which are related to ubiq-<br />

uit<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> ei<strong>the</strong>r sequence or structure. Like <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>, <strong>the</strong>se prote<strong>in</strong>s are <strong>in</strong>-<br />

volved <strong>in</strong> a vast number <strong>of</strong> fundamental cellular processes. Collectively known<br />

as <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-<strong>like</strong> prote<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>the</strong>y can be subdivided <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> families <strong>of</strong> <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-<br />

<strong>like</strong> <strong>modifier</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-doma<strong>in</strong> prote<strong>in</strong>s (Fig. 3). Members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first group<br />

function – as <strong>the</strong>ir name suggests – as <strong>modifier</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> are covalently attached to<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r prote<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> a manner analogous to <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong> conjugation. Members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

second group are larger prote<strong>in</strong>s <strong>and</strong> conta<strong>in</strong> a <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-<strong>like</strong> doma<strong>in</strong> as an <strong>in</strong>-<br />

tegral part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir sequence, but are o<strong>the</strong>rwise funct<strong>in</strong>ally diverse (Jentsch <strong>and</strong><br />

Pyrowolakis, 2000).<br />

Ubiquit<strong>in</strong>-Like Modifiers<br />

With <strong>the</strong> exception <strong>of</strong> ATG8, ATG12 <strong>and</strong> URM1, all <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>-<strong>like</strong> <strong>modifier</strong>s<br />

(UbLs) display a high level <strong>of</strong> sequence homology to <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong> <strong>and</strong>, regardless<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir sequence, <strong>the</strong>y all share essentially <strong>the</strong> same three-dimensional struc-<br />

ture. In addition, those UbLs which are capable <strong>of</strong> covalent attachment to an-<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r prote<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>variably share a conserved glyc<strong>in</strong>e residue at <strong>the</strong>ir C-term<strong>in</strong>us,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> carboxyl group <strong>of</strong> this glyc<strong>in</strong>e is <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> attachment to <strong>the</strong>ir substrates.<br />

Like <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong>, most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m are generated as precursors with C-term<strong>in</strong>al exten-<br />

sions <strong>of</strong> vari<strong>in</strong>g length <strong>and</strong> need to be activated through endoproteolytic process-<br />

<strong>in</strong>g. This step is mediated by UbL-specific proteases (ULPs), which function <strong>in</strong><br />

a manner analogous to DUBs <strong>and</strong> are also capable <strong>of</strong> hydroliz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> isopeptide<br />

bond between <strong>the</strong>ir specific UbL <strong>and</strong> its target prote<strong>in</strong>s. Exceptions to this rule<br />

are ATG12, URM1 <strong>and</strong> <strong>FAT10</strong>, which already conta<strong>in</strong> a free glyc<strong>in</strong>e at <strong>the</strong>ir C-<br />

term<strong>in</strong>us <strong>and</strong> have no requirement for process<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Ubiquit<strong>in</strong>-<strong>like</strong> <strong>modifier</strong>s are also conjugated to <strong>the</strong>ir target prote<strong>in</strong>s by way <strong>of</strong> a<br />

multi-enzyme cascade, <strong>in</strong> a manner analogous to that <strong>of</strong> <strong>ubiquit<strong>in</strong></strong> conjugation,<br />

18

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