Cited by 270Ubiquitin and proteasome pathwaysNF-κB Signaling PathwaysEnzyme Structure and Function

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NEDD8 nucleates a multivalent cullin–RING–UBE2D ubiquitin ligation assembly

Open access

Abstract

Eukaryotic cell biology depends on cullin-RING E3 ligase (CRL)-catalysed protein ubiquitylation 1, which is tightly controlled by the modification of cullin with the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 2-6. However, how CRLs catalyse ubiquitylation, and the basis of NEDD8 activation, remain unknown. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of a chemically trapped complex that represents the ubiquitylation intermediate, in which the neddylated CRL1 β-TRCP promotes the transfer of ubiquitin from the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBE2D to its recruited substrate, phosphorylated IκBα. NEDD8 acts as a nexus that binds disparate cullin elements and the RING-activated ubiquitin-linked UBE2D. Local structural remodelling of NEDD8 and large-scale movements of CRL domains converge to juxtapose the substrate and the ubiquitylation active site. These findings explain how a distinctive ubiquitin-like protein alters the functions of its targets, and show how numerous NEDD8-dependent interprotein interactions and conformational changes synergistically configure a catalytic CRL architecture that is both robust, to enable rapid ubiquitylation of the substrate, and fragile, to enable the subsequent functions of cullin-RING proteins.

Overview

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TL;DR

The paper reports a 3.7 Å cryo-EM structure of a chemically trapped neddylated CRL1β-TRCP–UBE2D~UB–IκBα substrate intermediate, showing NEDD8 as a nexus that organizes activation, catalytic, and substrate-scaffolding modules. NEDD8-dependent multivalent interactions and conformational changes explain nearly 2000-fold stimulation of substrate priming and why NEDD8, rather than ubiquitin, activates CRLs.

Key findings

  • NEDD8 massively stimulates CRL1β-TRCP/UBE2D-catalyzed ubiquitylation by nearly 2000-fold overall; for IκBα, K_m for UBE2D was 408 ± 57 nM with neddylated CRL1β-TRCP versus 4014 ± 956 nM unneddylated, and k_obs S0–S1 was 12.9 ± 1.7 s⁻¹ versus 0.05 ± 0.002 s⁻¹, a 2667-fold change (Extended Data Table 1). NEDD8 activates both substrate priming and chain elongation, but UB linkage to a substrate-linked UB is 10-fold slower, suggesting optimal catalysis of substrate priming.
  • The 3.7 Å structure of the trapped neddylated CRL1β-TRCP–UBE2D~UB–substrate intermediate shows NEDD8 nearly encircled by interactions, binding its linked CUL1 WHB domain in an “activation module” and positioning a “catalytic module” relative to the substrate-scaffolding module; RBX1 binds UBE2D~UB in the canonical RING-activated closed conformation, and the structurally observed distance between IκBα’s β-TRCP-bound phosphodegron and the UBE2D~UB active site is ≈22 Å.
  • NEDD8 must adopt the Loop-out conformation to both form the activation module and engage UBE2D in the catalytic module, acting as a coincidence detector; mutations disrupting activation-module, activation–catalytic, or activation–substrate-scaffolding interfaces impair substrate priming, and combining mutations is synergistic (e.g., NEDD8 I44A is ≈10-fold defective alone, but with UBE2D H32A is nearly 200-fold defective).
  • The same mutations impair UBE2D-mediated priming with neddylated CRL1FBW7 and neddylated CRL4CRBN/pomalidomide, and the structure rationalizes how NEDD8 Gln40 deamidation by bacterial effectors impairs CRL1-dependent ubiquitylation.

Methods

  • Cryo-EM: a chemically adjoined stable proxy for the UBE2D~UB–IκBα substrate intermediate was bound to a hyperactive neddylated CRL1β-TRCP; the final reconstruction was refined globally to 3.7 Å (focused refinement 3.46 Å), with model building/refinement using known PDB structures, RELION-3.0, COOT, and Phenix.refine.
  • Kinetics: rapid quench-flow pre-steady-state experiments and UBE2D titrations with radiolabeled peptide substrates (IκBα and β-catenin variants) estimated K_m and k_obs; pulse-chase fluorescent assays monitored substrate priming, and separate assays monitored intrinsic UBE2D~UB discharge to free lysine.
  • Samples: human recombinant proteins were expressed in insect cells or E. coli, including UBE2D2/3, RBX1, CUL1, CUL4, NEDD8, UB, SKP1, β-TRCP, CRBN, DDB1, and UBA1; peptides were >95% HPLC purity, and variants were generated by PCR, Quikchange, or synthesis.

Limitations

  • Stated: the authors cannot exclude that UB could be transferred from RING- and NEDD8-bound UBE2D in various orientations relative to the substrate-scaffolding module; different forms of ubiquitylation may involve alternative, presently elusive catalytic architectures; and the structural basis for ubiquitylation by other CRLs awaits future studies.
  • Evident: the structure relies on a chemically trapped proxy, a hyperactive RBX1 N98R mutant, monomeric β-TRCP1, SKP1∆∆, and engineered UBE2D variants, so it may not capture all native transient conformations or wild-type dynamics.
  • Evident: the biochemical assays are in vitro with model peptide substrates, some validation assays are qualitative, and several experiments report n = 2 technical replicates rather than independent biological replicates.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41586-020-2000-y

Cites

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Claims the paper makes

63 Own result · 41 Not checked yet · 29 Own interpretation · 6 Own method · 3 No basis given · 1 Supported so far

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  • Probably not a substantial claim. 32
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 44
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
68 of 68
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Substrate priming involves fleeting simultaneous linkage of UBE2D’s active site, UB’s C-terminus, and the substrate.

    “Substrate priming involves fleeting simultaneous linkage of UBE2D’s active site, UB’s C-terminus, and the substrate”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The chemically adjoined surrogate complex is a stable mimic of the transition state and represents the ubiquitylation intermediate.

    “We chemically adjoined surrogates for these entities in a stable mimic of the transition state, which avidly binds neddylated CRL1β-TRCP”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Mutations designed to destroy the activation module or hinder interactions between the activation and catalytic modules actually disrupt those intended interfaces.

    “Mutations designed to destroy the activation module (NEDD8 Q40E) or hinder interactions between the activation and catalytic modules (NEDD8 I44A or UBE2D S22R) substantially impair substrate priming”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    UBE2D contains three additional cysteines (Cys21, Cys107, Cys111) besides the active-site cysteine.

    “However, UBE2D contains three additional cysteines (Cys21, Cys107, Cys111).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    UBE2D’s myriad substrates neither conform to a specific motif, nor do they or UBE2D display specific side-chains guiding lysine acceptors into the catalytic center.

    “However, UBE2D’s myriad substrates neither conform to a specific motif, nor do they or UBE2D display specific side-chains guiding lysine acceptors into the catalytic center.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The NEDD8 Q40E mutation disrupts the activation module.

    “testing effect of NEDD8 Q40E, which would disrupt the activation module.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The NEDD8 I44A mutation disrupts interactions between the activation and catalytic modules.

    “showing the effect on substrate priming of disrupting interactions between the activation and catalytic modules with NEDD8 I44A or UBE2D S22R mutation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The UBE2D S22R mutation disrupts interactions between the activation and catalytic modules.

    “showing the effect on substrate priming of disrupting interactions between the activation and catalytic modules with NEDD8 I44A or UBE2D S22R mutation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The “Ubiquitylized” NEDD8 mutant with six residues swapped for UB counterparts (L2Q K4F E14T D16E G63K G64E) disrupts interactions between the activation and substrate scaffolding modules.

    “showing the effect on substrate priming of disrupting interactions between the activation and substrate scaffolding modules, though CUL1 modification by a “Ubiquitylized” NEDD8 mutant with six residues swapped for UB counterparts (L2Q K4F E14T D16E G63K G64E).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The UBE2D H32A mutation is at the interface between the catalytic and substrate scaffolding modules.

    “showing the effect of UBE2D H32A mutation at the interface between the catalytic and substrate scaffolding modules.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The covalently-linked chemical trap is a proxy for the IκBα substrate’s acceptor in the active site.

    “highlighting the covalently-linked proxy for the IκBα substrate’s acceptor in the active site”
11 of 11

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Metadata

Authors
Baek, K., Krist, D. T., Prabu, J. R., Hill, S., Klügel, M., Neumaier, L.-M., von Gronau, S., Kleiger, G., & Schulman, B. A.
Affiliations
  • Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (DE)
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
Corresponding author
Schulman, Brenda A.
Venue
Nature
Published
2020-02-12
Volume
578
Issue
7795
Pages
461-466
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W3006502081
Cited by
270
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 27
FWCI
12.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R15GM117555)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › NF-κB Signaling Pathways
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Structural Biology › Enzyme Structure and Function
Keywords
NEDD8, Cullin-RING E3 ligases, ubiquitin transfer, ubiquitination, neddylation, protein ubiquitylation, IκBα, cryo-EM structure, protein-protein interaction, conformational change, E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme
MeSH terms
NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha, NEDD8 Protein, Humans, Models, Molecular, Phosphorylation, Protein Conformation, Substrate Specificity, Cryoelectron Microscopy, Ubiquitin, Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Ubiquitination, Biocatalysis

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