Cited by 1,141Protein Degradation and InhibitorsUbiquitin and proteasome pathwaysMultiple Myeloma Research and Treatments

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 44 of the 44 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Structure of the DDB1–CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase in complex with thalidomide

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Abstract

In the 1950s, the drug thalidomide, administered as a sedative to pregnant women, led to the birth of thousands of children with multiple defects. Despite the teratogenicity of thalidomide and its derivatives lenalidomide and pomalidomide, these immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) recently emerged as effective treatments for multiple myeloma and 5q-deletion-associated dysplasia. IMiDs target the E3 ubiquitin ligase CUL4-RBX1-DDB1-CRBN (known as CRL4(CRBN)) and promote the ubiquitination of the IKAROS family transcription factors IKZF1 and IKZF3 by CRL4(CRBN). Here we present crystal structures of the DDB1-CRBN complex bound to thalidomide, lenalidomide and pomalidomide. The structure establishes that CRBN is a substrate receptor within CRL4(CRBN) and enantioselectively binds IMiDs. Using an unbiased screen, we identified the homeobox transcription factor MEIS2 as an endogenous substrate of CRL4(CRBN). Our studies suggest that IMiDs block endogenous substrates (MEIS2) from binding to CRL4(CRBN) while the ligase complex is recruiting IKZF1 or IKZF3 for degradation. This dual activity implies that small molecules can modulate an E3 ubiquitin ligase and thereby upregulate or downregulate the ubiquitination of proteins.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nature13527

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  1. Li, T., Robert, E. I., van Breugel, P. C., Strubin, M. & Zheng, N. A promiscuous α-helical motif anchors viral hijackers and substrate receptors to the CUL4–DDB1 ubiquitin ligase machinery. Nature Struct. Mol. Biol. 17, 105–111 (2010) · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Fischer, E. S., Böhm, K., Lydeard, J. R., Yang, H., Stadler, M. B., Cavadini, S., Nagel, J., Serluca, F., Acker, V., Lingaraju, G. M., Tichkule, R. B., Schebesta, M., Forrester, W. C., Schirle, M., Hassiepen, U., Ottl, J., Hild, M., Beckwith, R. E. J., Harper, J. W., Jenkins, J. L., & Thomä, N. H.
Affiliations
  • University of Basel (CH)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Novartis (Switzerland) (CH)
Corresponding author
Thomä, Nicolas H.
Venue
Nature
Published
2014-07-16
Volume
512
Issue
7512
Pages
49-53
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2161413435
Cited by
1,141
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 130 · 2025: 159 · 2024: 130 · 2023: 103 · 2022: 119 · 2021: 98 · 2020: 109 · 2019: 76 · 2018: 63 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 12
FWCI
21.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DORA PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging (AG011085, R01AG011085)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments
Keywords
thalidomide, lenalidomide, pomalidomide, immunomodulators, E3 ubiquitin ligase, enantioselective binding, MEIS2, IKZF1, IKZF3, multiple myeloma
MeSH terms
Lenalidomide, DNA-Binding Proteins, Humans, Models, Molecular, Peptide Hydrolases, Protein Binding, Structure-Activity Relationship, Substrate Specificity, Thalidomide, Transcription Factors, Crystallography, X-Ray, Homeodomain Proteins, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Multiprotein Complexes, Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing

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