Ubiquitination independent of E1 and E2 enzymes by bacterial effectors

Journal Article · Wed Apr 06 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17657· OSTI ID:1337262

Qiu, Jiazhang; Sheedlo, Michael J.; Yu, Kaiwen; Tan, Yunhao; Nakayasu, Ernesto S.; Das, Chittaranjan; Liu, Xiaoyun; Luo, Zhao-Qing

Signaling by ubiquitination regulates virtually every cellular process in eukaryotes. Covalent attachment of ubiquitin to a substrate is catalyzed by the E1, E2 and E3 three-enzyme cascade 1, which links the C terminus of ubiquitin via an isopeptide bond mostly to the ε-amino group of a lysine of the substrate. Given the essential roles of ubiquitination in the regulation of the immune system, it is not surprising that the ubiquitination network is a common target for diverse infectious agents 2. For example, many bacterial pathogens exploit ubiquitin signaling using virulence factors that function as E3 ligases, deubiquitinases 3 or as enzymes that directly attack ubiquitin 4. The bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila utilizes approximately 300 effectors that modulate diverse host processes to create a niche permissive for its replication in phagocytes 5. Here we demonstrate that members of the SidE effector family (SidEs) of L. pneumophila ubiquitinate multiple Rab small GTPases associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Moreover, we show that these proteins are capable of catalyzing ubiquitination without the need for the E1 and E2 enzymes. The E1/E2-independent ubiquitination catalyzed by these enzymes requires NAD but not ATP and Mg2+. A putative mono ADP-ribosyltransferase (mART) motif critical for the ubiquitination activity is also essential for the role of SidEs in intracellular bacterial replication in a protozoan host. These results establish that ubiquitination can be catalyzed by a single enzyme.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1337262
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-117267
• Journal Information: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 7601 Vol. 533; ISSN 0028-0836
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Legionella
Rab small GTPases
Type IV secretion
mono ADP-ribosyltransferase (mART) motif