A novel NEDD8-binding protein modulates NF-κB signaling pathway

Excerpt

In canonical NF-κB signaling pathway, a ubiquitin ligase called SCF (S kp1, C ul1, F-box protein) complex is essential for I-κB degradation. The activity of the SCF complex is positively regulated by a post-translational modification of Cul1 subunit with a ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8. Like ubiquitin, NEDD8 possesses evolutionary conserved Lys residues on its surface, and forms poly-NEDD8 chain in vivo and in vitro [1, 2]. Despite the importance of the NEDD8 modification in all eukaryotic cells, little is known about the function of poly-NEDD8 chain. To elucidate the function of the poly-NEDD8 chain in vivo, we screened p oly-N EDD8 chain b inding p roteins (PNBPs) using a yeast two-hybrid system. Of the identified PNBPs, PNBP1 was identical to a gene present in non-HLA celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis risk loci [3]. …