title: Ubiquitin-binding proteins: similar, but different.
abstract: Covalent modification of proteins with ubiquitin is a common regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic cells. Typically, ubiquitinated proteins are targeted for degradation by the 26 S proteasome. However, more recently the ubiquitin signal has also been connected with many other cell processes, including endocytosis, vesicle fusion, DNA repair and transcriptional silencing. Hence ubiquitination may be comparable with phosphorylation in its importance as an intracellular switch, controlling various signal-transduction pathways. Similar to the regulation of the extent of phosphorylation by kinases and phosphatases, specific sets of ubiquitinating/deubiquitinating enzymes control the degree of ubiquitination. A large number of ubiquitin-binding proteins act at different steps in the downstream pathways, followed by the ubiquitinated protein. Different families of ubiquitin-binding proteins have been described. UBA (ubiquitin-associated) domain-containing proteins is the largest family and includes members involved in different cell processes. The smaller groups of UIM (ubiquitin-interacting motif), GAT [GGA (Golgi-associated gamma-adaptin homologous) and Tom1 (target of Myb 1)], CUE (coupling of ubiquitin conjugation to endoplasmic reticulum degradation), UEV [ubiquitin E2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme) variant] and NZF (nuclear protein localization gene 4 zinc finger) domain-containing proteins appear to have more specialized functions. Here we discuss functional and structural properties of ubiquitin-binding proteins.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Physiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, Copenhagen, Denmark DK-2100.
authors.forename: Katrine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartmann-Petersen
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000818:Animals; D000067699:Ataxin-3; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011506:Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D000071456:Sequestosome-1 Protein; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000074405:Valosin Containing Protein
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C099718:SQSTM1 protein, human; D000071456:Sequestosome-1 Protein; D025801:Ubiquitin; C092341:ATXN3 protein, human; D000067699:Ataxin-3; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000074405:Valosin Containing Protein