Structural basis for specific cleavage of Lys6-linked polyubiquitin chains by USP30

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2017 Nov;24(11):911-919. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3469. Epub 2017 Sep 25.

Abstract

Parkin ubiquitin (Ub) ligase (also known as PARK2) ubiquitinates damaged mitochondria for their clearance and quality control. USP30 deubiquitinase opposes parkin-mediated Ub-chain formation on mitochondria by preferentially cleaving Lys6-linked Ub chains. Here, we report the crystal structure of zebrafish USP30 in complex with a Lys6-linked diubiquitin (diUb or Ub2) at 1.87-Å resolution. The distal Ub-recognition mechanism of USP30 is similar to those of other USP family members, whereas Phe4 and Thr12 of the proximal Ub are recognized by a USP30-specific surface. Structure-based mutagenesis showed that the interface with the proximal Ub is critical for the specific cleavage of Lys6-linked Ub chains, together with the noncanonical catalytic triad composed of Cys-His-Ser. The structural findings presented here reveal a mechanism for Lys6-linkage-specific deubiquitination.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutagenesis
  • Polyubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases / chemistry*
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases / metabolism*
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Polyubiquitin
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases