Structural model of ubiquitin transfer onto an artificial RING finger as an E3 ligase

Sci Rep. 2014 Oct 10:4:6574. doi: 10.1038/srep06574.

Abstract

The artificial WSTF PHD_EL5 RING finger was designed via "α-helical region substitution", and its structural model for the attachment of activated ubiquitin has been demonstrated. Chemical modifications of Cys residues, the circular dichroism spectra, and substrate-independent ubiquitination assays illustrated that the WSTF PHD_EL5 RING finger has E3 activity, and it is ubiquitinated via Lys14. Homology modeling calculations revealed that the WSTF PHD_EL5 RING finger possesses a classical RING fold for specific E2-E3 binding. The docking poses of the WSTF PHD_EL5 RING finger with the UbcH5b-ubiquitin conjugate provided insight into its functional E2 interaction and development of ubiquitination at the atomic level. The structural model of the artificial WSTF PHD_EL5 RING finger proposed by the present work is useful and may help to extend the strategy of α-helical region substitution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Protein Structure, Secondary*
  • RING Finger Domains / genetics
  • Ubiquitin / chemistry*
  • Ubiquitin / genetics
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / chemistry*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination / genetics

Substances

  • Ubiquitin
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases