Strategies to Trap Enzyme-Substrate Complexes that Mimic Michaelis Intermediates During E3-Mediated Ubiquitin-Like Protein Ligation

Exploiting E3 ligases for lung cancer therapy: The promise of DCAF-PROTACs

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. One emerging approach in drug development targets oncogenic proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), specifically through proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs). Among the various E3 ligase complexes, the CRL4 complex-comprising DDB1 and CUL4-associated factors (DCAFs)-has garnered attention for its roles in cellular homeostasis, DNA repair, and oncogenesis. This review explores the therapeutic potential of DCAF-based PROTACs (DCAF-PROTACs) in lung cancer by focusing on the substrate receptors DCAF13, DCAF15, and DCAF16, which mediate CRL4-dependent ubiquitination. We first discuss the dysregulation of DCAF proteins in lung cancer and then elaborate on their mechanistic role in facilitating target-specific protein degradation via DCAF-E3 ligase complexes. Recent studies show that DCAF-PROTACs selectively degrade oncogenic proteins, addressing treatment resistance and tumor heterogeneity. Notably, DCAF13 promotes lung adenocarcinoma by destabilizing p53, while DCAF15-PROTACs target and degrade RBM39 effectively. Additionally, the development of electrophilic PROTACs targeting DCAF16 presents a promising avenue for degrading nuclear proteins. Despite these advancements, several challenges must be addressed prior to clinical translation, including issues related to drug bioavailability, stability, and emerging resistance mechanisms. This review also explores the potential of combination therapies, particularly with immunotherapy, to enhance tumor specificity and therapeutic efficacy. Ultimately, the deployment of DCAF-PROTACs marks a significant advancement in precision oncology, offering a novel and targeted approach to protein degradation-based cancer treatment.

Structural insights into the regulation of the human E2∼SUMO conjugate through analysis of its stable mimetic

Protein SUMOylation is a ubiquitylation-like post-translational modification (PTM) that is synthesized through an enzymatic cascade involving an E1 (SAE1:SAE2), an E2 (UBC9), and various E3 enzymes. In the final step of this process, the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is transferred from the UBC9∼SUMO thioester onto a lysine residue of a protein substrate. This reaction can be accelerated by an E3 ligase. As the UBC9∼SUMO thioester is chemically unstable, a stable mimetic is desirable for structural studies of UBC9∼SUMO alone and in complex with a substrate and/or an E3 ligase. Recently, a strategy for generating a mimetic of the yeast E2∼SUMO thioester by mutating alanine 129 of Ubc9 to a lysine has been reported. Here, we reproduce and further investigate this approach using the human SUMOylation system and characterize the resulting mimetic of human UBC9∼SUMO1. We show that substituting lysine for alanine 129, but not for other active-site UBC9 residues, results in a UBC9 variant that is efficiently auto-SUMOylated. The auto-modification is dependent on cysteine 93 of UBC9, suggesting that it proceeds via this residue, through the same pathway as that for SUMOylation of substrates. The process is also partially dependent on aspartate 127 of UBC9 and accelerated by high pH, highlighting the importance of the substrate lysine protonation state for efficient SUMOylation. Finally, we present the crystal structure of the UBC9-SUMO1 molecule, which reveals the mimetic in an open conformation and its polymerization via the noncovalent SUMO-binding site on UBC9. Similar interactions could regulate UBC9∼SUMO in some cellular contexts.

The SUMO components in rheumatoid arthritis

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins can reversibly attach covalently or non-covalently to lysine residues of various substrates. The processes are named SUMOylation and de-SUMOylation, which maintain a dynamic balance in the physiological state, and are regulated by SUMO components. However, the dysregulation of components disturbs the balance and alters the functions of target proteins, which causes the occurrence of diseases. To date, certain SUMO components, including SUMO-1, SUMO-2/3, SAE1/Uba2, Ubc9, PIASs (protein inhibitors of activated signal transducer and activator of transcription) and SENPs (SUMO-specific proteases), have been found to participate in the pathogenesis of RA and their potential value as therapeutic targets also have been highlighted. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SUMO components have been reported to be associated with disease susceptibility. Until now, only the SNP site of SUMO-4 has been reported in RA. Here we provided a systematic overview of the general characteristics of SUMO components and highlighted a summary of their impact on RA.

Insights in Post-Translational Modifications: Ubiquitin and SUMO

Both ubiquitination and SUMOylation are dynamic post-translational modifications that regulate thousands of target proteins to control virtually every cellular process. Unfortunately, the detailed mechanisms of how all these cellular processes are regulated by both modifications remain unclear. Target proteins can be modified by one or several moieties, giving rise to polymers of different morphology. The conjugation cascades of both modifications comprise a few activating and conjugating enzymes but close to thousands of ligating enzymes (E3s) in the case of ubiquitination. As a result, these E3s give substrate specificity and can form polymers on a target protein. Polymers can be quickly modified forming branches or cleaving chains leading the target protein to its cellular fate. The recent development of mass spectrometry(MS) -based approaches has increased the understanding of ubiquitination and SUMOylation by finding essential modified targets in particular signaling pathways. Here, we perform a concise overview comprising from the basic mechanisms of both ubiquitination and SUMOylation to recent MS-based approaches aimed to find specific targets for particular E3 enzymes.

Structural basis for the E3 ligase activity enhancement of yeast Nse2 by SUMO-interacting motifs

Post-translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifiers, such as SUMO, are key events in protein homeostasis or DNA damage response. Smc5/6 is a nuclear multi-subunit complex that participates in the recombinational DNA repair processes and is required in the maintenance of chromosome integrity. Nse2 is a subunit of the Smc5/6 complex that possesses SUMO E3 ligase activity by the presence of a SP-RING domain that activates the E2~SUMO thioester for discharge on the substrate. Here we present the crystal structure of the SUMO E3 ligase Nse2 in complex with an E2-SUMO thioester mimetic. In addition to the interface between the SP-RING domain and the E2, the complex reveals how two SIM (SUMO-Interacting Motif) -like motifs in Nse2 are restructured upon binding the donor and E2-backside SUMO during the E3-dependent discharge reaction. Both SIM interfaces are essential in the activity of Nse2 and are required to cope with DNA damage.

Nse2 is a SUMO E3 ligase component of the Smc5/6 multisubunit complex involved in the DNA repair and chromosome integrity. Here, the structure of the Nse2 in complex with an E2-SUMO thioester mimetic reveals the combined action of two SIM motifs during the E3- dependent conjugation reaction.