Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

The Pas2 protein essential for peroxisome biogenesis is related to ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes

Nature volume 359, pages 73–76 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

IN the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PAS genes are essential for the biogenesis and proliferation of peroxisomes1,2. Recently, the first two genes, PAS1(ref. 3) and PAS3 (ref. 4), have been characterized. Here we report the cloning and sequencing of the PAS2gene. It encodes a new member of the ubiquitin-conjugating (UBC) protein family5–7 and is the first member associated with peroxisomes. The proposed function of the Pas2 protein as a UBC enzyme (UBC10) is supported by the fact that site-directed mutagenesis of a strictly conserved and functionally essential cysteine residue of UBC proteins leads to mutant Pas2 proteins unable to complement pas2 mutant strains. Ubiquitination of proteins is known to play an important part in DNA repair, sporulation, cell cycle control and degradation of abnormal proteins5–8. We provide evidence for a crucial role of the ubiquitin-conjugation pathway in organelle formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Erdmann, R., Veenhuis, M., Mertens, D. & Kunau, W.-H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 86, 5419–5423 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Höhfeld, J., Mertens, D., Wiebel, F. F. & Kunau, W.-H. in New Comprehensive Biochemistry Series: Membrane Biogenesis and Protein Targeting (eds Neupert, W. & Lill, R.) (Elsevier, New York, in the press).

  3. Erdmann, R. et al. Cell 64, 499–510 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Höhfeld, J., Veenhuis, M. & Kunau, W.-H. J. Cell Biol. 114, 1167–1178 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Jentsch, S., Seufert, W., Sommer, T. & Reins, H.-A. Trends biochem. Sci. 15, 195–198 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Jentsch, S., Seufert, W. & Hauser, H.-P. Biochim. biophys. Acta 1089, 127–139 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Jentsch, S., Trends Cell Biol. 2, 98–103 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Finley, D. & Chau, V. A. Rev. Cell Biol. 7, 25–69 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Erdmann, R. & Kunau, W.-H. Cell Biochemistry and Function (eds Crook, E. M. & Chayen, J.) (Wiley, Chichester, in the press).

  10. Deshaies, R. J. & Schekman, R. J. Cell Biol. 109, 2653–2664 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sung, P., Prakash, S. & Prakash, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 2695–2699 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hershko, A. Trends biochem. Sci. 16, 265–268 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Johnson, E. S., Bartel, B., Seufert, W. & Varshavsky, A. EMBO J. 11, 497–505 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Seufert, W. & Jentsch, S. EMBO J. 9, 543–550 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Seufert, W., McGrath, J. P. & Jentsch, S. EMBO J. 9, 4535–4541 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Santos, M. J., Imanaka, T., Shio, H. & Lazarow, P. B. J. biol. Chem. 263, 10502–10509 (1988).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhuang, Z., Marks, B. & McCauley, R. B. J. biol. Chem. 267, 591–596 (1992).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Gropper, R. et al. J. biol. Chem. 266, 3602–3610 (1991).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Laszlo, L., Doherty, F. J., Osborn, N. U. & Mayer, R. J. FEBS Lett. 261, 365–368 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Rose, M. D., Winston, F. & Hieter, P. Methods in Yeast Genetics (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Reynolds, P., Weber, S. & Prakash, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 168–172 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Goebl, M. G. et al. Science 241, 1331–1335 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Qin, S., Nakajima, B., Nomura, M. & Arfin, S. M. J. biol. Chem. 266, 15549–15554 (1991).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Physiologische Chemie der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Abteilung für Zellbiochemie, D-4630, Bochum, 1, Germany

    Franziska F. Wiebel & Wolf-H. Kunau

Authors
  1. Franziska F. Wiebel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wolf-H. Kunau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wiebel, F., Kunau, WH. The Pas2 protein essential for peroxisome biogenesis is related to ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. Nature 359, 73–76 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/359073a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/359073a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing