F-box proteins in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Members of the F-box protein family contain a conserved 40–50 amino acid F-box motif, named after the first such protein identified, human cyclin F (Ref. 1. Elledge S.J. Harper J.W. Proteolysis in cell cycle control and cancer. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1998; 1377: M61-M70 PubMed Google Scholar ). F-box protein is a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex termed SCF (Skp1 Cdc53 F-box protein) 1. Elledge S.J. Harper J.W. Proteolysis in cell cycle control and cancer. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1998; 1377: M61-M70 PubMed Google Scholar . Studies in yeast and animals have shown that ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation mediated through SCF complexes play a central role in diverse regulatory processes. Sixteen, 50 and.60 F-box proteins have been identified in the genomes of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mammals and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, respectively 2. Patton E.E. et al. Combinatorial control in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis: don't skp the F-box hypothesis. Trends Genet. 1998; 14: 236-243 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (443) Google Scholar , 3. Winston J.T. et al. A family of mammalian F-box proteins. Curr. Biol. 1999; 9: 1180-1182 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (305) Google Scholar . Are there as many F-box proteins in plants as there are in other organisms? Are plant F-box proteins also structurally and functionally diverse? Here we summarize the current understanding of F-box proteins in plants and our finding of 38 putative F-box proteins in Arabidopsis, and suggest how one can use this information to further the research to better understand various cellular processes regulated by the ubiquitin proteolytic pathway mediated through SCF complexes.