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Using In Vitro Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer to Study the Dynamics Of Protein Complexes at a Millisecond Time Scale
Published on: March 14, 2019
Structural assembly of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase complexes
Erik S Zimmerman1, Brenda A Schulman, Ning Zheng
1Department of Pharmacology, Box 357280, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|October 1, 2010
Summary
Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) are crucial for protein ubiquitination. Recent studies reveal complex CRL assembly mechanisms, including multi-domain organization and subunit dimerization, enhancing their cellular roles.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) represent the largest family of E3 ubiquitin ligases in eukaryotes.
- CRLs are essential for ubiquitination of protein substrates, regulating numerous cellular pathways.
- They share a common scaffold but utilize diverse adaptors and substrate receptors for unique E3 ligase complexes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding CRL assembly mechanisms.
- To highlight the increasing complexity in CRL architecture and assembly.
- To provide the first part of a two-review series on CRLs.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on CRL structure and assembly.
- Analysis of structural and biochemical data on CRL complexes.
- Synthesis of findings regarding CRL multi-domain organization, flexibility, and dimerization.
Main Results:
- CRLs exhibit increased complexity in architecture and assembly compared to earlier models.
- Key features include multi-domain organization, inter-domain flexibility, and subunit dimerization.
- These structural characteristics enable CRLs to function in diverse cellular contexts and signal responses.
Conclusions:
- Recent findings underscore the intricate nature of CRL assembly.
- The complex assembly modes of CRLs are critical for their diverse functions in protein ubiquitination.
- This review focuses on the assembly mechanisms, setting the stage for future discussions on CRL regulation and function.
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