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Crystal structures of Lys-63-linked tri- and di-ubiquitin reveal a highly extended chain architecture
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Crystal structures of Lys-63-linked tri- and di-ubiquitin reveal a highly extended chain architecture

Stephen D Weeks, Kimberly C Grasty, Lisa Hernandez-Cuebas and Patrick J Loll
Proteins, structure, function, and bioinformatics, v 77(4), pp 753-759
Dec 2009
PMID: 19731378
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/prot.22568View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Polyubiquitin - metabolism Recombinant Proteins - metabolism Humans Models, Molecular Crystallography, X-Ray Ubiquitins - chemistry Ubiquitin-Activating Enzymes - metabolism Metals - metabolism Protein Structure, Quaternary In Vitro Techniques Lysine - chemistry Binding Sites Dimerization Ubiquitins - metabolism Polyubiquitin - chemistry
The covalent attachment of different types of poly-ubiquitin chains signal different outcomes for the proteins so targeted. For example, a protein modified with Lys-48-linked poly-ubiquitin chains is targeted for proteasomal degradation, whereas Lys-63-linked chains encode nondegradative signals. The structural features that enable these different types of chains to encode different signals have not yet been fully elucidated. We report here the X-ray crystal structures of Lys-63-linked tri- and di-ubiquitin at resolutions of 2.3 and 1.9 A, respectively. The tri- and di-ubiquitin species adopt essentially identical structures. In both instances, the ubiquitin chain assumes a highly extended conformation with a left-handed helical twist; the helical chain contains four ubiquitin monomers per turn and has a repeat length of approximately 110 A. Interestingly, Lys-48 ubiquitin chains also adopt a left-handed helical structure with a similar repeat length. However, the Lys-63 architecture is much more open than that of Lys-48 chains and exposes much more of the ubiquitin surface for potential recognition events. These new crystal structures are consistent with the results of solution studies of Lys-63 chain conformation, and reveal the structural basis for differential recognition of Lys-63 versus Lys-48 chains.

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Web of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biophysics
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