title: The eukaryotic N-end rule pathway: conserved mechanisms and diverse functions.
abstract: The N-end rule pathway of targeted proteolysis, which relates the stability of a protein to the nature of its N-terminus, has emerged as a key regulator of diverse processes in eukaryotes. Recent reports that N-terminally acetylated and methionine-initiating proteins can be targeted for degradation have uncovered novel branches of the pathway, and a wide range of protein substrates has now been identified in animals, fungi, and plants. Of particular interest is the finding that the N-end rule pathway mediates oxygen and nitric oxide (NO) sensing in plants and animals by controlling the stability of kingdom-specific substrates. These findings highlight how conserved degradation mechanisms of the N-end rule pathway underlie functional divergence throughout eukaryotes.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK. Electronic address: d.gibbs@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.affiliation: School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Claremont Tower, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bacardit
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Center for Molecular Biology, University of Vienna, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, Vienna 1030, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachmair
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, Sutton Bonington campus, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK. Electronic address: michael.holdsworth@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Holdsworth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology*