Fluorescent Tools for In Vivo Studies on the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a key role in maintaining proteostasis by degrading most of the cellular proteins. Traditionally, UPS activity is studied in vitro, in yeast, or in mammalian cell cultures by using short-lived GFP-based UPS reporters. Here, we present protocols for two fluorescent tools facilitating real-time imaging of UPS activity in living animals. We have generated transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) expressing a photoconvertible UbG76V-Dendra2 UPS reporter, which permits measurement of reporter degradation by the proteasome independently of reporter protein synthesis, and a fluorescent polyubiquitin-binding reporter for detection of the endogenous pool of Lys48-linked polyubiquitinated proteasomal substrates. These reporter systems facilitate cell- and tissue-specific analysis of UPS activity especially in young adult animals, but can also be used for studies during development, aging, and for example stress conditions.