Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Functional Characterization of RING-Type E3 Ubiquitin Ligases In Vitro and In Planta
Published on: December 5, 2019
ARI-1, an RBR family ubiquitin-ligase, functions with UBC-18 to regulate pharyngeal development in C. elegans
1Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, P.O. Box 3944, Laramie, WY 82071-3944, USA.
Abstract:
The LIN-35 retinoblastoma protein homolog and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC-18 function redundantly to control an early step of pharyngeal morphogenesis in C. elegans. In order to identify ubiquitin-ligases acting downstream of UBC-18, we carried out a two-hybrid screen using UBC-18 as the bait molecule. Our screen identified three putative ubiquitin-ligases, one of which, ARI-1, showed genetic interactions leading to defective pharyngeal development that were identical to that previously observed for UBC-18. ARI-1 is a member of the RBR family of ubiquitin-ligases and contains a C-terminal motif that places it within the highly conserved Ariadne subfamily of RBR ligases. Our analyses indicate that ARI-1 is the principal Ariadne family member in C. elegans that is involved in the control of pharyngeal development with UBC-18. Using GFP reporters, we find that ARI-1 is expressed dynamically in a wide range of tissues including muscles and neurons during embryonic and postembryonic development. We also provide evidence that dsRNA species containing 14 or fewer base pairs of contiguous identity with closely related mRNAs are sufficient to mediate off-target silencing in C. elegans.
Related Concept Videos
Anaphase Promoting Complex
Regulated Protein Degradation
Protein degradation plays two important roles in the cells. It helps to protect cells from misfolded or damaged proteins before they lead to a...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

