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Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Evaluation of Substrate Ubiquitylation by E3 Ubiquitin-ligase in Mammalian Cell Lysates
Published on: May 10, 2022
Protein Degradation by E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Cancer Stem Cells
Macarena Quiroga1, Andrea Rodríguez-Alonso1, Gloria Alfonsín1
1Epithelial Plasticity and Metastasis Group, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Sergas, Universidade da Coruña (UDC), 15006 A Coruña, Spain.
Abstract:
Cancer stem cells are a small subpopulation within the tumor with high capacity for self-renewal, differentiation and reconstitution of tumor heterogeneity. Cancer stem cells are major contributors of tumor initiation, metastasis and therapy resistance in cancer. Emerging evidence indicates that ubiquitination-mediated post-translational modification plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of cancer stem cell characteristics. In this review, we will discuss how protein degradation controlled by the E3 ubiquitin ligases plays a fundamental role in the self-renewal, maintenance and differentiation of cancer stem cells, highlighting the possibility to develop novel therapeutic strategies against E3 ubiquitin ligases targeting CSCs to fight cancer.
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