Role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in regulating abundance of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27

M Pagano, SW Tam, AM Theodoras, P Beer-Romero… - Science, 1995 - science.org
M Pagano, SW Tam, AM Theodoras, P Beer-Romero, G Del Sal, V Chau, PR Yew
Science, 1995science.org
The p27 mammalian cell cycle protein is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases. Both in
vivo and in vitro, p27 was found to be degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The
human ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes Ubc2 and Ubc3 were specifically involved in the
ubiquitination of p27. Compared with proliferating cells, quiescent cells exhibited a smaller
amount of p27 ubiquitinating activity, which accounted for the marked increase of p27 half-
life measured in these cells. Thus, the abundance of p27 in cells is regulated by …
The p27 mammalian cell cycle protein is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases. Both in vivo and in vitro, p27 was found to be degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The human ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes Ubc2 and Ubc3 were specifically involved in the ubiquitination of p27. Compared with proliferating cells, quiescent cells exhibited a smaller amount of p27 ubiquitinating activity, which accounted for the marked increase of p27 half-life measured in these cells. Thus, the abundance of p27 in cells is regulated by degradation. The specific proteolysis of p27 may represent a mechanism for regulating the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases.
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