Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Ubiquitin Chain Analysis by Parallel Reaction Monitoring
Published on: June 17, 2020
Ubiquitin Chains Bearing Genetically Encoded Photo-Cross-Linkers Enable Efficient Covalent Capture of
Courtney N Braxton1, Evan Quartner2, Westley Pawloski2
1Department of Chemistry , Virginia Commonwealth University , 1001 West Main Street , P.O. Box 842006, Richmond , Virginia 23284-2006 , United States.
Abstract:
Ubiquitin-mediated signaling pathways regulate essentially every aspect of cell biology in eukaryotes. Ubiquitin receptors typically contain ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs) that have the ability to recognize monomeric ubiquitin (Ub) and polymeric Ub (polyUb) chains. However, how signaling specificity is achieved remains poorly understood, and many of the UBDs that selectively recognize polyUb chains of particular linkages still need to be identified and characterized. Here we report the incorporation of a genetically encoded photo-cross-linker, p-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine (Bpa), into recombinant Ub and enzymatically synthesized polyUb chains. This allows photo-cross-linking (covalent bond formation) of monoUb and K48- and K63-linked diUb chains to UBDs. This approach provides a framework for understanding Ub cellular signaling through the capture and identification of (poly)Ub-binding proteins.
Related Concept Videos
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
Covalent Bonds
Network Covalent Solids
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
Crossing Over
The homologous pairs of sister chromosomes—one from the maternal and one from the paternal genome—then begin to align alongside each other lengthwise, matching corresponding DNA positions in a process...

