Two ZnF-UBP Domains in Isopeptidase T (USP5)

• Authors: George V Avvakumov, University of Toronto; John R Walker, University of Toronto; Sheng Xue, University of Toronto; Abdellah Allali-Hassani, University of Toronto; Abdalin Asinas, University of Toronto; Usha B Nair, University of Toronto; Xianyang Fang, National Cancer Institute – Frederick; Xiaobing Zuo, Argonne National Laboratory; Yun-Xing Wane, National Cancer Institute – Frederick; Keith Wilkinson, Emory University; Sirano Dhe-Paganon, University of Toronto
• Journal Title: BIOCHEMISTRY
• Volume: Volume 51, Number 6
• Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC | 2012-02-14, Pages 1188-1198
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1021/bi200854q
• Subjects: Chemistry, Biochemistry
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES; SOLUTION SCATTERING; UBIQUITIN; PROTEINS; RECOGNITION; RESOLUTION; SYSTEM

Abstract

Human ubiquitin-specific cysteine protease 5 (USP5, also known as ISOT and isopeptidase T), an 835-residue multidomain enzyme, recycles ubiquitin by hydrolyzing isopeptide bonds in a variety of unanchored polyubiquitin substrates. Activation of the enzyme's hydrolytic activity toward ubiquitin-AMC (7-amino-4-methylcoumarin), a fluorogenic substrate, by the addition of free, unanchored monoubiquitin suggested an allosteric mechanism of activation by the ZnF-UBP domain (residues 163-291), which binds the substrate's unanchored diglycine carboxyl tail. By determining the structure of full-length USP5, we discovered the existence of a cryptic ZnF-UBP domain (residues 1-156), which was tightly bound to the catalytic core and was indispensable for catalytic activity. In contrast, the previously characterized ZnF-UBP domain did not contribute directly to the active site; a paucity of interactions suggested flexibility between these two domains consistent with an ability by the enzyme to hydrolyze a variety of different polyubiquitin chain linkages. Deletion of the known ZnF-UBP domain did not significantly affect rate of hydrolysis of ubiquitin-AMC and suggested that it is likely associated mainly with substrate targeting and specificity. Together, our findings show that USP5 uses multiple ZnF-UBP domains for substrate targeting and core catalytic function. © 2012 American Chemical Society.