Structural basis for UBA-mediated dimerization of c-Cbl ubiquitin ligase

J Biol Chem. 2007 Sep 14;282(37):27547-27555. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M703333200. Epub 2007 Jul 16.

Abstract

Ligand-induced down-regulation by the ubiquitin-protein ligases, c-Cbl and Cbl-b, controls signaling downstream from many receptor-tyrosine kinases (RTK). Cbl proteins bind to phosphotyrosine residues on activated RTKs to affect ligand-dependent ubiquitylation of these receptors targeting them for degradation in the lysosome. Both c-Cbl and Cbl-b contain a ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain, which is important for Cbl dimerization and tyrosine phosphorylation; however, the mechanism of UBA-mediated dimerization and its requirement for Cbl biological activity is unclear. Here, we report the crystal structure of the UBA domain of c-Cbl refined to 2.1-A resolution. The structure reveals the protein is a symmetric dimer tightly packed along a large hydrophobic surface formed by helices 2 and 3. NMR chemical shift mapping reveals heterodimerization can occur with the related Cbl-b UBA domain via the same surface employed for homodimerization. Disruption of c-Cbl dimerization by site-directed mutagenesis impairs c-Cbl phosphorylation following activation of the Met/hepatocyte growth factor RTK and c-Cbl-dependent ubiquitination of Met. This provides direct evidence for a role of Cbl dimerization in terminating signaling following activation of RTKs.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Dimerization
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-cbl / chemistry*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-cbl / physiology
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / physiology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Ubiquitin
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-cbl
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • CBL protein, human

Associated data

  • PDB/2OO9