title: Ubiquitin-like proteins.
abstract: The eukaryotic ubiquitin family encompasses nearly 20 proteins that are involved in the posttranslational modification of various macromolecules. The ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) that are part of this family adopt the β-grasp fold that is characteristic of its founding member ubiquitin (Ub). Although structurally related, UBLs regulate a strikingly diverse set of cellular processes, including nuclear transport, proteolysis, translation, autophagy, and antiviral pathways. New UBL substrates continue to be identified and further expand the functional diversity of UBL pathways in cellular homeostasis and physiology. Here, we review recent findings on such novel substrates, mechanisms, and functions of UBLs.
authors.affiliation: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA. ploegh@wi.mit.edu
authors.forename: Annemarthe G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: van der Veen
authors.forename: Hidde L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ploegh
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D058207:Sumoylation; D014452:Ubiquitins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014452:Ubiquitins