The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an important regulator of the main cellular processes. The components of the UPS are involved in the regulation of the cell cycle, signal transduction, the cell response to DNA damage, metabolism, and transcription control. E3 ubiquitin ligases (the enzymes that covalently attaches ubiquitin to target proteins) play a key role in the functioning of the UPS. The Drosophila tumor suppressor Hyd (hyperplastic discs) is one of the most interesting E3 ligases; it is required for the regulation of proliferation, growth, and cell differentiation. The study of hyd mutations in different tissues of Drosophila demonstrated that depending on the cellular context, Hyd can not only perform proteolytic functions associated with protein degradation, but can also, interacting with other proteins and/or nucleic acids, act as an important regulator of cellular processes.
Keywords: E3 ubiquitin ligase; non-proteolytic functions; tumor suppressor; ubiquitination.