A collection of cutting-edge techniques for studying ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation via the proteasome. The topics covered range broadly from basic biochemistry to cellular assays to discovery techniques using mass spectrometric analysis. These biochemical and cellular methods are necessary to explore the ubiquitin-proteasome system and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent functions. State-of-the-art and user-friendly, Ubiquitin-Proteasome Protocols offers novice and experienced bench scientists alike a thorough compendium of readily reproducible techniques that will accelerate discovery, enhance productivity, and permit manipulation of the system for varied research purposes.

“This volume explores numerous techniques used to study the ubiquitin proteasome system. The chapters in this book are organized into five parts and cover topics such as determining the mechanisms of action for E2s, E3s, and DUB enzymes; the latest advances to study the formation of poly-ubiquitin chains as well as their linkage types; the binding partners of proteins in the UPS; methods for structure determination by x-ray crystallography, cryo electron microscopy and SAXS; screening assays to select for degrons or modulators of E3s and DUBs; proteomics approaches in the ubiquitin field and methods to study 26S proteasome function. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and authoritative, The Ubiquitin Proteasome System: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for both experienced and novice scientists who are interested in expanding their knowledge in this field.

This volume contains a collection of innovative techniques for studying targeted protein degradation. Chapters guide readers through heterobifunctional proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) approaches, E3 ligase, E3 ligase-induced ubiquitylation, proteomic approaches, novel degrader molecules, molecular glue, and stabilize binding interaction between a target and E3 ubiquitin ligase. Written in the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, includes tips on troubleshooting and known pitfalls, and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Targeted Protein Degradation: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in this emerging field of drug discovery.

The human ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is comprised of nearly 1000 proteins. Although originally identified as a mechanism of protein destruction, the UPS has numerous additional functions and mediates central signaling events in myriad processes involved in both cellular and organismal health and homeostasis. Numerous pathways within the UPS are implicated in disease, ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. The goal of this book is to deliver a collection of synopses of current areas of UPS research that highlights the importance of understanding the biology of the UPS to identify disease-relevant pathways, and the need to elucidate the molecular machinations within the UPS to develop methods for therapeutic modulation of these pathways.

Ubiquitination and Protein Stability - Part B, Volume 619, the latest release in the Methods in Enzymology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this updated volume presenting interesting chapters written by an international board of authors. Topics of note include chapters on Assays of SUMO protease function in mammalian cells, In vitro analysis of proteasome-associated USP14 activity for substrate degradation and deubiquitylation, Methods to study proteasome regulatory particle assembly, Native mass spectrometry approaches to study the proteasome, Single-molecule methods to study the ubiquitin-proteasome system, Assays for the function of ubiquitin in the mammalian endocytic pathway, and much more.

A panel of leading academic and pharmaceutical investigators takes stock of the remarkable work that has been accomplished to date with proteasome inhibitors in cancer, and examines emerging therapeutic possibilities. The topics range from a discussion of the chemistry and cell biology of the proteasome and the rationale for proteasome inhibitors in cancer to a review of current clinical trials underway. The discussion of rationales for testing proteasome inhibitors in cancer models covers the role of the proteasome in NF-kB activation, the combining of conventional chemotherapy and radiation with proteasome inhibition, notably PS-341, new proteasome methods of inhibiting viral maturation, and the role of protesome inhibition in the treatment of AIDS. The authors also document the development of bortezomib (VelcadeTM) in Phase I clinical trials and in a multicentered Phase II clinical trials in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma.

The last several years have been a landmark period in the ubiquitin field. The breadth of ubiquitin's roles in cell biology was first sketched, and the importance of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis as a regulatory mechanism gained general acceptance. The many strands of work that led to this new perception are re counted in this book. A consequence of this progress is that the field has grown dramatically since the first book on ubiquitin was published almost a decade ago [M. Rechsteiner (ed. ), Ubiquitin, Plenum Press, 1988]. In this span, students of the cell cycle, transcription, signal transduction, protein sorting, neuropathology, cancer, virology, and immunology have attempted to chart the role of ubi quit in in their particular experimental systems, and this integration of the field into cell biology as a whole continues at a remarkable pace. We hope that for active researchers in the field as well as for newcomers and those on the fence, this book will prove helpful for its breadth, historical perspective, and practical tips. Structural data are now available on many of the components of the ubiquitin pathway. The structures have provided basic insights into the unusual biochemical mechanisms of ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Because high-speed computer graphics can convey structures more effectively than print media, we have supplemented the figures of the book with a Worldwide Web site that can display the structures in a flexible, viewer-controlled format.