Direct Ubiquitination of β-Catenin by Siah-1 and Regulation by the Exchange Factor TBL1

Abstract

β-Catenin is a key component of the Wnt signaling pathway that functions as a transcriptional co-activator of Wnt target genes. Upon UV-induced DNA damage, β-catenin is recruited for polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation by a unique, p53-induced SCF-like complex (SCF(TBL1)), comprised of Siah-1, Siah-1-interacting protein (SIP), Skp1, transducin β-like 1 (TBL1), and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). Given the complexity of the various factors involved and the novelty of ubiquitination of the non-phosphorylated β-catenin substrate, we have investigated Siah-1-mediated ubiquitination of β-catenin in vitro and in cells. Overexpression and purification protocols were developed for each of the SCF(TBL1) proteins, enabling a systematic analysis of β-catenin ubiquitination using an in vitro ubiquitination assay. This study revealed that Siah-1 alone was able to polyubiquitinate β-catenin. In addition, TBL1 was shown to play a role in protecting β-catenin from Siah-1 ubiquitination in vitro and from Siah-1-targeted proteasomal degradation in cells. Siah-1 and TBL1 were found to bind to the same armadillo repeat domain of β-catenin, suggesting that polyubiquitination of β-catenin is regulated by competition between Siah-1 and TBL1 during Wnt signaling. β-Catenin is a key component of the Wnt signaling pathway that functions as a transcriptional co-activator of Wnt target genes. Upon UV-induced DNA damage, β-catenin is recruited for polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation by a unique, p53-induced SCF-like complex (SCF(TBL1)), comprised of Siah-1, Siah-1-interacting protein (SIP), Skp1, transducin β-like 1 (TBL1), and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). Given the complexity of the various factors involved and the novelty of ubiquitination of the non-phosphorylated β-catenin substrate, we have investigated Siah-1-mediated ubiquitination of β-catenin in vitro and in cells. Overexpression and purification protocols were developed for each of the SCF(TBL1) proteins, enabling a systematic analysis of β-catenin ubiquitination using an in vitro ubiquitination assay. This study revealed that Siah-1 alone was able to polyubiquitinate β-catenin. In addition, TBL1 was shown to play a role in protecting β-catenin from Siah-1 ubiquitination in vitro and from Siah-1-targeted proteasomal degradation in cells. Siah-1 and TBL1 were found to bind to the same armadillo repeat domain of β-catenin, suggesting that polyubiquitination of β-catenin is regulated by competition between Siah-1 and TBL1 during Wnt signaling. Direct ubiquitination of β-catenin by Siah-1 and regulation by the exchange factor TBL1Journal of Biological ChemistryVol. 285Issue 26PreviewVOLUME 285 (2010) PAGES 13507–13516 Full-Text PDF Open Access