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Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Cochlear Surface Preparation in the Adult Mouse
Published on: November 6, 2019
The ubiquitin-proteasome system in normal hearing and deafness
Ronald Pouyo1, Keshi Chung1, Laurence Delacroix1
1GIGA-Stem Cells, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, University of Liege, Avenue hippocrate 15, B36 1st Floor B, Liege 4000, Belgium.
Abstract:
Post-translational modifications of proteins are essential for the proper development and function of many tissues and organs, including the inner ear. Ubiquitination is a highly selective post-translational modification that involves the covalent conjugation of ubiquitin to a substrate protein. The most common outcome of protein ubiquitination is degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), preventing the accumulation of misfolded, damaged, and excess proteins. In addition to proteasomal degradation, ubiquitination regulates other cellular processes, such as transcription, translation, endocytosis, receptor activity, and subcellular localization. All of these processes are essential for cochlear development and maintenance, as several studies link impairment of UPS with altered cochlear development and hearing loss. In this review, we provide insight into the well-oiled machinery of UPS with a focus on its confirmed role in normal hearing and deafness and potential therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat UPS-associated hearing loss.
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