TRIM44 interacts with and stabilizes terf, a TRIM ubiquitin E3 ligase

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 May 29;383(2):263-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.04.010. Epub 2009 Apr 7.

Abstract

Terf/TRIM17 is a member of the TRIM family of proteins, which is characterized by the RING finger, B-box, and coiled-coil domains. In the present study, we found that terf interacts with TRIM44. Terf underwent ubiquitination in vitro in the presence of the E2 enzyme UbcH6; this suggests that terf exhibits E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. It was also found that terf was conjugated with polyubiquitin chains and stabilized by the proteasome inhibitor in mammalian cells; this suggested that terf rendered itself susceptible to proteasomal degradation through polyubiquitination. We also found that TRIM44 inhibited ubiquitination of terf, and thus stabilized the protein. The N-terminal region of TRIM44 contains a zinc-finger domain found in ubiquitin hydrolases (ZF UBP) and ubiquitin specific proteases (USPs). Thus, we proposed that TRIM44 may function as a new class of the "USP-like-TRIM" which regulates the activity of associated TRIM proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Testis / metabolism*
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • TRIM44 protein, human
  • Tripartite Motif Proteins
  • TRIM17 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases