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Title: A fluorescence assay for elucidating the substrate specificities of deubiquitinating enzymes

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
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  1. State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031 (China)
  2. Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China)

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A deubiquitinating enzyme has its unique substrate specificity for deubiquitination. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We have established an activity assay for ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This assay can be applicable to other deubiquitinating enzymes. -- Abstract: Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolases (UCHs) are a representative family of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which specifically cleave ubiquitin (Ub) chains or extensions. Here we present a convenient method for characterizing the substrate specificities of various UCHs by fluorescently mutated Ub-fusion proteins (Ub{sup F45W}-Xaa) and di-ubiquitin chains (Ub{sup F45W}-diUb). After removal of the intact substrate by Ni{sup 2+}-NTA affinity, the enzymatic activities of UCHs were quantitatively determined by recording fluorescence of the Ub{sup F45W} product. The results show that three UCHs, i.e. UCH-L1, UCH-L3 and UCH37/UCH-L5, are distinct in their substrate specificities for the Ub-fusions and diUb chains. This assay method may also be applied to study the enzymatic activities and substrate specificities of other DUBs.

OSTI ID:
22207592
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 416, Issue 1-2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English