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RNA Decay Factor UPF1 Promotes Protein Decay: A Hidden Talent
Author(s) -
M. Plank TerraDawn,
Wilkinson Miles F.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.201700170
Subject(s) - ubiquitin ligase , myogenesis , nonsense mediated decay , microbiology and biotechnology , ubiquitin , rna , myod , biology , transcription factor , rna binding protein , chemistry , biochemistry , myocyte , rna splicing , gene
The RNA‐binding protein, UPF1, is best known for its central role in the nonsense‐mediated RNA decay (NMD) pathway. Feng et al. now report a new function for UPF1—it is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that specifically promotes the decay of a key pro‐muscle transcription factor: MYOD. UPF1 achieves this through its RING‐like domain, which confers ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. Feng et al. provide evidence that the ability of UPF1 to destabilize MYOD represses myogenesis. In the future, it will be important to define other protein substrates of UPF1‐driven ubiquitination and to determine whether this biochemical activity is responsible for some of UPF1's previously defined biological functions, including in development and stress responses. The exciting findings presented by Feng et al. open up the possibility that protein turnover and RNA turnover are coupled processes.