Bi-substrate kinetic analysis of an E3-ligase-dependent ubiquitylation reaction.

Little is known about the kinetic mechanism of E3 ubiquitin ligases. This work describes basic methodology to investigate the kinetic mechanism of E3 ubiquitin ligases. The method used steady state, bi-substrate kinetic analysis of an E3 ligase-catalyzed monoubiquitylation reaction using ubiquitin-conjugated E2 (E2ub) and a mutant IkappaBalpha as substrates to evaluate whether the E3-catalyzed ubiquitin transfer from E2ub to protein substrate was sequential, meaning both substrates bound before products leaving, or ping pong, meaning that ubiquitin-conjugated E2 would bind, transfer ubiquitin to the E3, and debind before binding of protein substrate.

A small molecule ubiquitination inhibitor blocks NF-kappa B-dependent cytokine expression in cells and rats.

A small molecule inhibitor of NF-kappaB-dependent cytokine expression was discovered that blocked tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha-induced IkappaB(alpha) degradation in MM6 cells but not the degradation of beta-catenin in Jurkat cells. Ro106-9920 blocked lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-dependent expression of TNFalpha, interleukin-1beta, and interleukin-6 in fresh human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with IC(50) values below 1 microm. Ro106-9920 also blocked TNFalpha production in a dose-dependent manner following oral administration in two acute models of inflammation (air pouch and LPS challenge).