Ancient origin of animal U-box ubiquitin ligases.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The patterns of emergence and diversification of the families of ubiquitin ligases provide insights about the evolution of the eukaryotic ubiquitination system. U-box ubiquitin ligases (UULs) are proteins characterized by containing a peculiar protein domain known as U box. In this study, the origin of the animal UUL genes is described.

Results

Phylogenetic and structural data indicate that six of the seven main UUL-encoding genes found in humans (UBE4A, UBE4B, UIP5, PRP19, CHIP and CYC4) were already present in the ancestor of all current metazoans and the seventh (WDSUB1) is found in placozoans, cnidarians and bilaterians. The fact that only 4-5 genes orthologous to the human ones are present in the choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis suggests that several ani

SUBMITTER: Marin I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3087547 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature