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  • We report the outcomes of the discussion initiated at the workshop entitled A 3D Cellular Context for the Macromolecular World and propose how data from emerging three-dimensional (3D) cellular imaging techniques—such as electron tomography, 3D scanning electron microscopy and soft X-ray tomography—should be archived, curated, validated and disseminated, to enable their interpretation and reuse by the biomedical community.

    • Ardan Patwardhan
    • Alun Ashton
    • Gerard J Kleywegt
    CommentaryOpen Access
  • Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins have central roles in regulating cellular processes and homeostasis. This Focus examines our understanding of the ubiquitination reaction and the mechanisms by which ubiquitin and related modifications affect protein and cellular functions.

    Editorial
  • The past decade has witnessed an explosion in the identification of ubiquitin-ligase complexes as the missing receptors for important small-molecule hormones regulating plant growth and development. These breakthroughs were initiated by genetic approaches, with structural analysis providing mechanistic insights into how hormone perception and signaling are coupled to protein ubiquitination. Although there are still many unknowns, plants have imparted valuable lessons about the pharmacology of ubiquitin modification.

    • Nitzan Shabek
    • Ning Zheng
    Commentary
  • Protein homeostasis is essential for cellular function, organismal growth and viability. Damaged and aggregated proteins are turned over by two major proteolytic routes of the cellular quality-control pathways: the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy. For both these pathways, ubiquitination provides the recognition signal for substrate selection. This Commentary discusses how ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathways are coordinated with stress- and aging-induced signals.

    • Éva Kevei
    • Thorsten Hoppe
    Commentary
  • The immune system must operate in an effective, precise and safe manner to defend against diverse pathogens while avoiding attacking the body itself and commensal bacteria. Inflammatory pathways mediated by NOD-like, Toll-like, RIG-I–like and tumor-necrosis-factor receptor families are tightly regulated by ubiquitination, especially by Lys63-linked and linear polyubiquitin chains. Here we discuss the human ubiquitin-mediated inflammatory signaling system, emphasizing the interactions and activities whose coordination ensures timely, accurate regulation of inflammatory responses.

    • Jacob E Corn
    • Domagoj Vucic
    Commentary
    • Stéphane Larochelle
    Research Highlights