Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

A novel polyubiquitin chain linkage formed by viral Ubiquitin is resistant to host deubiquitinating enzymes.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

June 26, 2020

Journal

The Biochemical journal

Volume/Issue

477/12

ISSN

1470-8728

The Baculoviridae family of viruses encode a viral Ubiquitin (vUb) gene. Though the vUb is homologous to the host eukaryotic Ubiquitin (Ub), its preservation in the viral genome indicates unique functions that are not compensated by the host Ub. We report the structural, biophysical, and biochemical properties of the vUb from Autographa californica multiple nucleo-polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV). The packing of central helix α1 to the beta-sheet β1-β5 is different between vUb and Ub. Consequently, its stability is lower compared with Ub. However, the surface properties, ubiquitination activity, and the interaction with Ubiquitin-binding domains are similar between vUb and Ub. Interestingly, vUb forms atypical polyubiquitin chain linked by lysine at the 54th position (K54), and the deubiquitinating enzymes are ineffective against the K54-linked polyubiquitin chains. We propose that the modification of host/viral proteins with the K54-linked chains is an effective way selected by the virus to protect the vUb signal from host DeUbiquitinases.

Alternate Journal

Biochem J

PubMed ID

32478812

Authors

Hitendra Negi
Pothula Purushotham Reddy
Vineeth Vengayil
Chhaya Patole
Sunil Laxman
Ranabir Das

Keywords

Closterovirus
Closterovirus/metabolism
Deubiquitinating Enzymes
Deubiquitinating Enzymes/chemistry
Deubiquitinating Enzymes/genetics
Deubiquitinating Enzymes/metabolism
Humans
Lysine
HEK293 Cells
Lysine/chemistry
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Lysine/genetics
Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism
Lysine/metabolism
Protein Processing, Post-Translational
Polyubiquitin
Viral Proteins
Polyubiquitin/chemistry
Viral Proteins/metabolism
Polyubiquitin/metabolism
Protein Conformation
Sequence Homology
Amino Acid Sequence
Viral Proteins/chemistry
Ubiquitination