Cited by 30Heat shock proteins researchUbiquitin and proteasome pathwaysMicrotubule and mitosis dynamics

Mechanism of orphan subunit recognition during assembly quality control

Open access
Yagita, Yuichi, Zavodszky, Eszter, Peak-Chew, Sew-Yeu, Hegde, Ramanujan S.·2023·Cell

Abstract

Cells contain numerous abundant molecular machines assembled from multiple subunits. Imbalances in subunit production and failed assembly generate orphan subunits that are eliminated by poorly defined pathways. Here, we determined how orphan subunits of the cytosolic chaperonin CCT are recognized. Several unassembled CCT subunits recruited the E3 ubiquitin ligase HERC2 using ZNRD2 as an adaptor. Both factors were necessary for orphan CCT subunit degradation in cells, sufficient for CCT subunit ubiquitination with purified factors, and necessary for optimal cell fitness. Domain mapping and structure prediction defined the molecular features of a minimal HERC2-ZNRD2-CCT module. The structural model, whose key elements were validated in cells using point mutants, shows why ZNRD2 selectively recognizes multiple orphaned CCT subunits without engaging assembled CCT. Our findings reveal how failures during CCT assembly are monitored and provide a paradigm for the molecular recognition of orphan subunits, the largest source of quality control substrates in cells.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2023.06.016

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  • The reduction of Exo9 and EXOSC10 protein abundance across all subunits is caused by orphan protein decay because of the increased production of the unstable, and likely unusable, short EXOSC3 proteoform.

    “We conclude that the reduction of Exo9 and EXOSC10 protein abundance across all subunits is caused by orphan protein decay because of the increased production of the unstable, and likely unusable, short EXOSC3 proteoform107–109.”

    From EXOSC3 G191 Variants Trigger System-Wide Recalibration of RNA Processing Machinery (2026) · cites this paper as [109]

    The Introduction states that eliminating one complex subunit usually destabilizes its partners and describes degradation of unassembled subunits. This supports orphan-protein decay as a general mechanism, but the paper does not establish that a short EXOSC3 proteoform causes reduced Exo9 and EXOSC10 abundance; that specific conclusion is the citing authors’ own. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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1 of the 80 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [37]Walker J.R.Q.L. Vesterberg A. Weigelt J. Bountra C. Arrowsmith C.H. Edwards A.M. Bochkarev A. Dhe-Paganon S. Structure of the third RLD domain of Herc2 2009 10.2210/pdb3kci/pdb · DOI

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Authors
Yagita, Y., Zavodszky, E., Peak-Chew, S.-Y., & Hegde, R. S.
Affiliations
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (GB)
Corresponding author
Hegde, Ramanujan S.
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2023-08
Volume
186
Issue
16
Pages
3443-3459.e24
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4385077788
Cited by
30
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5
FWCI
2.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council (MC_UP_A022_1007)
  • Naito Foundation
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Heat shock proteins research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
Keywords
chaperonin CCT, assembly quality control, HERC2, E3 ubiquitin ligase, ubiquitination, protein degradation, molecular recognition, protein complex formation
MeSH terms
Humans, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Chaperonin Containing TCP-1

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