RING fingers mediate ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2)-dependent ubiquitination

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Sep 28;96(20):11364-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.20.11364.

Abstract

A RING finger-containing protein (AO7) that binds ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) and is a substrate for E2-dependent ubiquitination was identified. Mutations of cation-coordinating residues within AO7's RING finger abolished ubiquitination, as did chelation of zinc. Several otherwise-unrelated RING finger proteins, including BRCA1, Siah-1, TRC8, NF-X1, kf-1, and Praja1, were assessed for their ability to facilitate E2-dependent ubiquitination. In all cases, ubiquitination was observed. The RING fingers were implicated directly in this activity through mutations of metal-coordinating residues or chelation of zinc. These findings suggest that a large number of RING finger-containing proteins, with otherwise diverse structures and functions, may play previously unappreciated roles in modulating protein levels via ubiquitination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Ligases / genetics
  • Ligases / physiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes*
  • Ubiquitins / metabolism*
  • Zinc / pharmacology
  • Zinc Fingers*

Substances

  • Ubiquitins
  • UBE2D2 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes
  • Ligases
  • Zinc

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF171060