Orc2 protects ORCA from ubiquitin-mediated degradation

Cell Cycle. 2012 Oct 1;11(19):3578-89. doi: 10.4161/cc.21870. Epub 2012 Aug 30.

Abstract

Origin recognition complex (ORC) is highly dynamic, with several ORC subunits getting posttranslationally modified by phosphorylation or ubiquitination in a cell cycle-dependent manner. We have previously demonstrated that a WD repeat containing protein ORC-associated (ORCA/LRWD1) stabilizes the ORC on chromatin and facilitates pre-RC assembly. Further, ORCA levels are cell cycle-regulated, with highest levels during G(1), and progressively decreasing during S phase, but the mechanism remains to be elucidated. We now demonstrate that ORCA is polyubiquitinated in vivo, with elevated ubiquitination observed at the G(1)/S boundary. ORCA utilizes lysine-48 (K48) ubiquitin linkage, suggesting that ORCA ubiquitination mediates its regulated degradation. Ubiquitinated ORCA is re-localized in the form of nuclear aggregates and is predominantly associated with chromatin. We demonstrate that ORCA associates with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cul4A-Ddb1. ORCA is ubiquitinated at the WD40 repeat domain, a region that is also recognized by Orc2. Furthermore, Orc2 associates only with the non-ubiquitinated form of ORCA, and Orc2 depletion results in the proteasome-mediated destabilization of ORCA. Based on the results, we suggest that Orc2 protects ORCA from ubiquitin-mediated degradation in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / chemistry
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Cullin Proteins / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • G1 Phase
  • Humans
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Origin Recognition Complex / metabolism*
  • Polyubiquitin / metabolism
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proteolysis*
  • S Phase
  • Sequestosome-1 Protein
  • Solubility
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • CUL4A protein, human
  • Chromatin
  • Cullin Proteins
  • DDB1 protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ORC2 protein, human
  • Origin Recognition Complex
  • SQSTM1 protein, human
  • Sequestosome-1 Protein
  • Ubiquitin
  • Polyubiquitin
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • Lysine