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Updated: Dec 31, 2025

In Vitro Analysis of E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Function
Published on: May 14, 2021
Mechanisms for the temporal regulation of substrate ubiquitination by the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome
Shivangee Bansal1, Swati Tiwari1
1School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India.
Abstract:
The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a multi-subunit, multifunctional ubiquitin ligase that controls the temporal degradation of numerous cell cycle regulatory proteins to direct the unidirectional cell cycle phases. Several different mechanisms contribute to ensure the correct order of substrate modification by the APC/C complex. Recent advances in biochemical, biophysical and structural studies of APC/C have provided a deep mechanistic insight into the working of this complex ubiquitin ligase. This complex displays remarkable conformational flexibility in response to various binding partners and post-translational modifications, which together regulate substrate selection and catalysis of APC/C. Apart from this, various features and modifications of the substrates also influence their recognition and affinity to APC/C complex. Ultimately, temporal degradation of substrates depends on the kind of ubiquitin modification received, the processivity of APC/C, and other extrinsic mechanisms. This review discusses our current understanding of various intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms responsible for 'substrate ordering' by the APC/C complex.
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