Characterization of Cullin-box Sequences That Direct Recruitment of Cul2-Rbx1 and Cul5-Rbx2 Modules to Elongin BC-based Ubiquitin Ligases

Selene K Swanson,Joan W Conaway,Michael P Washburn,William D Bradford,Karen Staehling-Hampton,Skylar Martin-Brown,Nawel Mahrour,William B Redwine,Ronald C Conaway,Laurence Florens

doi:10.1074/jbc.m706987200

Abstract

The Elongin BC-box protein family includes the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor and suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins, which are substrate recognition subunits of structurally related classes of E3 ubiquitin ligases composed of Elongin C-Elongin B-Cullin 2-Rbx1 (Cul2 ubiquitin ligases) or of Elongin C-Elongin B-Cullin 5-Rbx2 (Cul5 ubiquitin ligases). The Elongin BC complex acts as an adaptor that links a substrate recognition subunit to heterodimers of either Cullin 2 (Cul2) and RING finger protein Rbx1 or Cullin 5 (Cul5) and Rbx2. It has been shown ( Kamura, T., Maenaka, K., Kotoshiba, S., Matsumoto, M., Kohda, D., Conaway, R. C., Conaway, J. W., and Nakayama, K. I. (2004) Genes Dev. 18, 3055-3065 ) that interaction of BC-box proteins with their cognate Cul-Rbx module is determined by specific regions, called Cul2- or Cul5-boxes, located immediately downstream of their BC-boxes. Here, we investigate further the mechanisms governing assembly of BC-box proteins with their specific Cul-Rbx modules. Through purification and characterization of a larger collection of BC-box proteins that serve as substrate recognition subunits of Cul2 and Cul5 ubiquitin ligases and through structure-function studies, we define Cul2- and Cul5-boxes in greater detail. Although it previously appeared that there was little sequence similarity between Cul5- and Cul2-box motifs, analyses of newly identified BC-box proteins reveal that residues conserved in the Cul2-box represent a subset of those conserved in the Cul5-box. The sequence motif LPPhiP, which is conserved in most Cul5-boxes and has been suggested to specify assembly of Cul5 ligases, is compatible with Cul2 interaction. Finally, the spacing between BC- and Cullin-boxes is much more flexible than has been appreciated and can vary from as few as 3 and as many as approximately 80 amino acids. Taken together, our findings shed new light on the mechanisms by which BC-box proteins direct recruitment of Cullin-Rbx modules during reconstitution of ubiquitin ligases.

Highlights

A growing body of evidence has implicated members of the families of Cullin 2 (Cul2)- and Cullin 5 (Cul5)-containing E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulation of diverse cellular processes including cell signaling, growth, and differentiation
A region downstream of the BC-box is clearly needed for interaction with Cul2, it has been difficult to define a specific sequence motif that correlates with Cul2 binding because only three BC-box proteins, von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), LRR1/PPIL5, and FEM1b, that assemble into Cul2 ubiquitin ligases had been identified when this study was initiated
We have investigated how a given BC-box substrate recognition subunit of these ubiquitin ligases is able to direct recruitment of either a Cul2-Rbx1 or Cul5-Rbx2 module

Summary

Introduction

A growing body of evidence has implicated members of the families of Cullin 2 (Cul2)- and Cullin 5 (Cul5)-containing E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulation of diverse cellular processes including cell signaling, growth, and differentiation A region downstream of the BC-box is clearly needed for interaction with Cul2, it has been difficult to define a specific sequence motif that correlates with Cul2 binding because only three BC-box proteins, VHL, LRR1/PPIL5, and FEM1b, that assemble into Cul2 ubiquitin ligases had been identified when this study was initiated.

Results

Conclusion