Cited by 1,507Ubiquitin and proteasome pathwaysEnzyme Structure and FunctionProtein Degradation and Inhibitors

Structure of the Cul1–Rbx1–Skp1–F boxSkp2 SCF ubiquitin ligase complex

Zheng, Ning, Schulman, Brenda A., Song, Langzhou, Miller, Julie J., Jeffrey, Philip D., Wang, Ping, Chu, Claire, Koepp, Deanna M. +6 more·2002·Nature

Abstract

SCF complexes are the largest family of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases and mediate the ubiquitination of diverse regulatory and signalling proteins. Here we present the crystal structure of the Cul1-Rbx1-Skp1-F boxSkp2 SCF complex, which shows that Cul1 is an elongated protein that consists of a long stalk and a globular domain. The globular domain binds the RING finger protein Rbx1 through an intermolecular beta-sheet, forming a two-subunit catalytic core that recruits the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. The long stalk, which consists of three repeats of a novel five-helix motif, binds the Skp1-F boxSkp2 protein substrate-recognition complex at its tip. Cul1 serves as a rigid scaffold that organizes the Skp1-F boxSkp2 and Rbx1 subunits, holding them over 100 A apart. The structure suggests that Cul1 may contribute to catalysis through the positioning of the substrate and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, and this model is supported by Cul1 mutations designed to eliminate the rigidity of the scaffold.

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Crossref · 10.1038/416703a

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  • A well-resolved substrate scaffolding module in the cryo EM reconstructions resembles models based on crystal structures of substrate-bound SKP1-β-TRCP and the portion of an F-box-SKP1-CUL1-RBX1 complex including CUL1's N-terminal domain and the intermolecular C/R domain.

    “A well-resolved “substrate scaffolding module” resembles models based on crystal structures of substrate-bound SKP1-β-TRCP and the portion of an F-box-SKP1-CUL1-RBX1 complex including CUL1’s N-terminal domain and the intermolecular C/R domain7,20.”
  • UB transfer from a RING-docked UBE2D~UB intermediate to an F-box protein-bound substrate is difficult to rationalize by prior structural models or by the paper's cryo EM reconstructions of unneddylated and neddylated substrate-bound CRL1β-TRCP.

    “UB transfer from a RING-docked UBE2D~UB intermediate (“~” indicates thioester bond/thioester-bond mimic) to an F-box protein-bound substrate is difficult to rationalize by prior structural models 3,7,20,27, or by our cryo EM reconstructions of unneddylated and neddylated substrate-bound CRL1β-TRCP”
  • The original CUL1-RBX1 structure (PDB ID 1LDJ) is dynamic.

    “the original CUL1-RBX1 structure (PDB ID 1LDJ, “Pre-Neddylation”, which data herein shows is dynamic, although the crystal structure likely captured the conformation allowing CAND1 binding and substrate receptor exchange)7”
  • Cryo EM density from the neddylated CRL1β-TRCP-UBE2D~UB-substrate intermediate complex shows patchiness of the region corresponding to CUL1 "Helix-29".

    “Cryo EM density from the neddylated CRL1β-TRCP-UBE2D~UB-substrate intermediate complex, showing patchiness of region corresponding to CUL1 “Helix-29”7.”
  • Cryo-EM density from the neddylated CRL1β-TRCP-UBE2D~UB-substrate intermediate complex shows patchiness of the region corresponding to CUL1 Helix-29.

    “EM density from the neddylated CRL1β-TRCP-UBE2D~UB-substrate intermediate complex, showing patchiness of region corresponding to CUL1 “Helix-29”7.”

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Authors
Zheng, N., Schulman, B. A., Song, L., Miller, J. J., Jeffrey, P. D., Wang, P., Chu, C., Koepp, D. M., Elledge, S. J., Pagano, M., Conaway, R. C., Conaway, J. W., Harper, J. W., & Pavletich, N. P.
Affiliations
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (US)
  • Stowers Institute for Medical Research (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
  • NYU Langone Health (US)
Corresponding author
Pavletich, Nikola P.
Venue
Nature
Published
2002-04
Volume
416
Issue
6882
Pages
703-709
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2121077625
Cited by
1,507
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 55 · 2019: 63 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 57 · 2014: 62 · 2013: 74 · 2012: 66
FWCI
30.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG011085)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Enzyme Structure and Function
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
Keywords
SCF ubiquitin ligase, CUL1, RBX1, Skp1, F-box, Skp2, E3 ubiquitin ligase, crystal structure, ring finger, ubiquitination, substrate recognition, scaffold proteins, E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme
MeSH terms
NEDD8 Protein, Amino Acid Sequence, Binding Sites, Humans, Ligases, Models, Molecular, Molecular Sequence Data, Peptide Synthases, Protein Binding, Structure-Activity Relationship, Ubiquitins, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Crystallography, X-Ray, Cell Cycle Proteins, Amino Acid Motifs, Protein Structure, Quaternary, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Ubiquitin, Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins, Cullin Proteins, SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases, Macromolecular Substances, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27

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