Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Using In Vitro Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer to Study the Dynamics Of Protein Complexes at a Millisecond Time Scale
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Using In Vitro Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer to Study the Dynamics Of Protein Complexes at a Millisecond Time Scale

Published on: March 14, 2019

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Distinct Stress Regulators in the CRL Family: Emerging Roles of F-Box Proteins: Cullin-RING Ligases and

Jiwon Hwang1, Linda Lauinger1, Peter Kaiser1

  • 1Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|March 17, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) regulate cellular stress responses by targeting proteins for degradation. The F-box protein domain within SCF complexes is emerging as a direct environmental sensor, particularly for heavy metals.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Cullin-RING ligases (CRLs) are crucial for cellular and environmental stress responses via protein ubiquitination.
  • CRLs function as modular complexes, utilizing adaptors for substrate targeting and enabling adaptation to environmental cues.
  • The SCF (Skp1-cullin-F-box) subfamily of CRLs is increasingly recognized for its role in environmental sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of CRLs in stress response regulation.
  • To highlight the emerging functions of F-box proteins in environmental adaptation.
  • To emphasize the underappreciated role of SCF ubiquitin ligases in environmental sensing.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of CRLs and F-box proteins.
  • Analysis of recent advances in environmental sensing mechanisms.
  • Focus on the heavy metal-binding capabilities of F-box domains.

Main Results:

  • F-box domains can function as direct environmental sensors, notably through heavy metal binding.
  • SCF complexes play a significant role in environmental sensing, a function previously overlooked.
  • Many CRL components' roles in environmental sensing require further investigation.

Conclusions:

  • CRLs are central to adapting to environmental challenges.
  • F-box proteins represent a novel class of environmental sensors with implications for stress response.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the full spectrum of CRL functions in environmental adaptation.
Keywords:
F‐box proteinSCFcullin‐RING ligasesheavy metalsstress‐sensingubiquitin

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